


Broken Souls

by whatfreak



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angry Thranduil, Angst, Asshole Thranduil, Caring Thranduil, Comedy, Dark, Dark Past, Earth, F/M, Family Issues, Fluff and Smut, Human, Humor, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm Sorry, Love, Loyalty, Middle Earth, Modern Girl in Middle Earth, POV Thranduil, Sarcasm, Secrets, Slow Burn, Smut, Suicidal Thoughts, Violence, Why is the Rum Gone?, World Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-18
Updated: 2019-10-16
Packaged: 2019-11-24 02:46:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 27,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18160463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatfreak/pseuds/whatfreak
Summary: A young woman from Earth somehow ends up in Mirkwood, very well knowing where and why she is there, but still trying to figure out how she got there and how to stay alive. Middle Earth was a world she grew up with, so indeed she knows who lives in the realms of Tolkien's universe, but as she herself ends up in Thranduil's Halls, she must figure out how to stay friends with the king and earn his trust, without spilling secrets that could ruin everything. Constantly suspicious of the woman's behaviour and her mystery, Thranduil's interest towards her grows, but her stubbornness and bold confidence that almost levels with his own, makes it hard for a relationship to evolve. As time passes, secrets spill and the woman must fight to upkeep any form of trust. Will she succeed? Will she reach her goal? Will she survive?





	1. A Plan

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! It's been a while. This is my newest and second work situated in Tolkien's world, Broken Souls! I've been working on this since May or June last year, so I really hope you all like it! I'm so excited for this and I hope you'll all enjoy the story. Let's go on an adventure y'all.
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of Tolkien's characters or places in his universe and I don't earn any from this but the pleasure of writing. This fic is graphic and has very heavy material. Do not read if you are a sensitive reader!

With the sunlight breaking through the layer of brown leaves, the forest looked rather beautiful - on the outside. It didn’t help much from inside, with the huge crooked trees, looking sick with their dark demeanor and all greenery drizzled away in the middle of summer. It was quiet as well. No birds singing, no bunnies running over grass, no deer jumping over any roots, no fish swimming in small ponds, nothing that made a forest feel alive.

However, there was the sound of an intense gasp as it erupted from the throat of a human, who was situated on a particular wide branch, high up in the trees, her legs wrapped around it and her front pressed against the bark.

She breathed as if she had run a mile, swiftly pushing herself up in a sitting position, looking around to observe her surroundings. It didn’t escape her attention that she was about twenty feet above the ground. She looked down on the path beneath her through the many other branches far below.

“Jesus Christ.” She sighed and tried to figure out a way to get down without breaking a leg. She groaned as she felt a pain in her head, but didn’t think much about it as she had probably just sat up too fast. Taking a deep breath, she carefully swung her left leg over the branch to join her other. Ignoring the heights she was in, she scooted to the trunk and wrapped her limbs around it, finding some cracks she could hold onto.

Slowly but safely, she worked her way down the tree, sometimes reaching a smaller branch she could have an easier hold on. Other times, she only had the trunk and the small grooves in it to rely on. She had always loved climbing so luckily it was something she was good at. She enjoyed the feeling of using muscles in a different way and still have fun with it.

After many minutes, she felt the ground beneath her feet and sighed, relieved to be on a surface without the chance of falling to her death. As she stepped out on the stomped earth that made the path, she took an actual look around the place she was.

The air felt thick and the small amount of light that shone through the tree tops made the undergrowth seem like the bottom of the ocean.

She knew exactly where she was.

“Am I really here?” She whispered unbelieving. “Is this really Middle Earth?” The questions got no answers, but the forest looked very much like what Greenwood did in the movies. She laughed and looked up to the canopy. “Thank you, God!”

She glanced in both directions, wondering which way she should go. She settled on right and started following where the path led her. Then the realization of where she actually was hit her. Greenwood. Or Mirkwood, which was a title she had never liked. _Greenwood_ had creatures in its forest that no one wanted to meet. Spiders, that were bigger than one wished for them to be. The thought made her pick up a thick stick nearby as if such an object would help if she ever met any.

Elves lived here, somewhere, who she hoped she would meet at some point. _Elves._ It was weird to think about, really.

She had always been an enormous fan of Tolkien’s books and loved the movies Peter Jackson had made to no end. But she had had many questions that still needed answers, and it of course made her turn to fan fictions. Even though it was made-up stories by millions of fans, many had had the same beliefs of characters so they made her believe it too. Perhaps, they were the most accurate facts there was.

With her joining the fandom, she knew very much about pretty much everything. What she knew most about was her favorite characters, of course. Elves. Wood-elves, to be more exact. Thranduil Oropherion, to be honest. The mysterious, inverted, ‘cold’ king that no one really truly knew? Was it a surprise she had always wanted to meet him?

 _That_ thought made her realize another problem.

She was not from here.

But she was here - where no one knew her.

If she ever met the elves... what would she do? They would most likely take her in as a threat instead of shooting her like an animal and probably imprison her in the process out of distrust. She needed an explanation to why she was here. She needed a plan.

This was something she hadn’t thought about. She was no enemy. She wanted to be able to see the realm, the world, not stare at a cell wall the rest of her life.

She couldn’t exactly go to the king and say _“Hi, I’m not from your world, but I know everything about you and your world’s people and history. What a whole lot of death. Wanna be friends?”_

That would definitely make her an enemy they would like to kill. She wouldn’t trust anyone with such knowledge about her. What would she do if she met someone that knew everything about her? Probably kill them... Or at least imprison. No. She couldn’t reveal too much. That would lead to her downfall. Thranduil was not a person you wanted to insult or make him yearn to kill you.

Another realization popped up in her already slightly anxious mind.

She knew where she was.

But not _when_ she was.

Oropher could be king at the moment. Him she knew absolutely nothing about, characteristically. Only he was Thranduil’s father, that he was once crowned as King of the Woodland Realm by the Silvans after he arrived from Doriath with his people and that he died - or would die - in the Battle of Dagorlad during the War of the Last Alliance. Nothing more. He could be even worse than Thranduil. She didn’t know how to handle such an elf.

She had not even figured out Thranduil yet. Maybe he was king, but his wife was still here. Maybe she was gone, but Legolas was an elfling. This could go in so many ways. What was she to do?

The faint sound of something approaching caught her acute hearing and she stopped in her tracks.

Spiders?

No, there was no cackling from their fangs to be heard. They would probably be louder too. This was something else. Something much stealthier.

She smirked.

She threw away her stick as it would not help anything anyway. Doubt flashed through her mind as she thought if it actually was an evil creature coming by.

Fortunately, a dozen of elves emerged from the trees in seconds, showing off their agility in a rather annoying way. Now she was just to figure out if any royal elf was present, and which one in the family it was.

And quite unsurprising, a blond elf appeared in front of her, smoothly moving around his companions. He held a bow in his hand, knocking an arrow on the string and pointing it at her so fast that her eyes couldn’t even hold up with the movement.

Legolas.

Relatively relieved that she was closer to the timeline she had hoped for, she smiled friendly and gave the slightest of all bows. He looked her up and down, a little surprised of her actions and her clothing.

She looked down at herself and realized that what she wore was not anything that could be found in Middle Earth. She had on a tight, burgundy t-shirt that hugged her curves and her favorite stretchy black jeans with streaks on her thighs and at the back of her knees. For shoes, she wore a pair of black Nike sneakers with its usual white logo on the side. Her bare arms showed some of her tattoos, but she crossed her arms, hiding a few.

“Who are you and why are you here?” Legolas demanded to know, giving her something close to a glare.

“I’m not from here.”

“You are a human in an elven realm, we know you are not from here.”

“You misunderstand. I’m not from this _world,_ which you can probably see from my clothing.”

He pulled the string further back and looked her straight in the eye. “Why are you here and not in your own world?” He asked, immediately sounding further suspicious to who the stranger before him was.

“God sent me.” That was in fact true. Though, she would like not to answer why he did that yet.

She looked at the arrowhead that was a few feet from her nose. “Listen, I have no weapons whatsoever. I’m not gonna hurt you or try to run. You can remove that arrow from my face now, please.” She lightly tapped the side of its shaft and he almost recoiled in surprise at her boldness.

He didn’t answer her, but let his eyes roam over her again. Then he put his arrow back in his quiver. “Chain her up and we will bring her to my father.” He ordered while two guards walked up to her. One inspected her for weapons in case she lied, the other bound her hands in front of her with thin chains.

She arched a brow as she was quite surprised by the choice of shackles. She would be able to break them in a heartbeat. Now when she thought about it, there would presumably be magic involved. Elves weren’t that stupid.

Like magical mind reading, the brunette female guard that worked on her binds said, “These chains are enchanted so if you try to break them, they will burn you. Think wisely.”

“Will do.” She responded and the guards stepped back.

She eyed Legolas before she walked forward as the group started moving, keeping a rectangular formation around her.

She walked in silence and felt no fear to the elves nor to the forest, now that she was with them. Like if she had been under a spell without their company, she now heard the small chirping from birds in the forest and the sound of running water nearby. She enjoyed it. It seemed lighter now, like if her surroundings had been overshadowed in darkness before her union with the elves. It made her wonder if it was a method to frighten unwanted guests or if it was just because of her solitude.

The group stopped by the signal of their prince as she saw him holding up his hand. He looked about, observing every move and sound around him. Suddenly, huge spiders broke out from the tree lines and attacked the elves. Though fear sprang to life in her mind, she stayed calm.

Spiders fell, left and right, screeches of agony echoing through the woods as blades penetrated and sliced through limbs. She stayed in the middle of the chaos, waiting patiently for everything to be over and doing her best to ignore her anxiety for the creatures. She was with elves. She wouldn’t get hurt. Right?

A space between the elves in front of her magically appeared and a spider came out of the blue, crawling towards her like it had only waited for the opportunity.

Her heart beat faster, adrenalin going unused, pumping through her veins and her breathing quickened. What if it hurt her anyway? What if she got injured by a spider bite and she had to endure such a pain? What if it killed her over time?

She stood still and tried calmly to watch the creature advance on her as a lump in her throat started to form, her head feeling heated and heavy. She swallowed, her throat dry and sandy as if she hadn’t drunk in months and her breath hitched.

Its mouth opened in a deafening cry and showed its fangs, coming closer and closer.

Then it jumped.

She took a step back and the blunt side of its fang grazed her forehead, before an arrow shot through its skull from the side.

It seemed to have been the last spider, when Legolas stepped up and pushed her roughly on the shoulder. “Do you wish to die?” He hissed, annoyed by her impotent behavior.

“I am in the presence of elves with great archery skills and I am a prisoner, from another world, who you wish to present to your king. You would never have let me die.” She explained as she began to breathe again.

“Let us decide that matter.” He answered and turned her around with another push on the back of her shoulder, however gentler this time. The rest of the patrol fell back into formation as the prince returned to the front of the group, continuing their walk to the palace.

She was surprised by Legolas’ behavior. She had expected him to be kinder, more open and less violent. Was it different here? Was he... darker? Perhaps she just didn’t know him. She had probably given him a bad impression and had gotten the soldier in him instead of his soft side.

Before long, huge wooden doors with a stone bridge in front of it appeared in the horizon and the group sped up. The woman prepared herself of what was to come and entered her usual unemotional space out of habit for the unknown.

As two guards outside held the gates open, Legolas led the group inside. As she expected, Thranduil’s Halls were an astonishing place. Nature itself was braided into the architecture of the palace. The walls, the doors, the archways, _everything._ Even the floor had been carved to embrace its natural surroundings _,_ creating a calm atmosphere. A few guards glanced at her to see if she would give out any reaction of what a gorgeous place their realm was just like everyone else typically did.

She gave them nothing.

 ———

The king was sitting on his throne with one leg slung over the other, admiring one of his jewelry rings, when his son walked into the room looking more serious than usual. Perhaps, also a bit disturbed.

“Legolas.”

“Father.”

“Is something wrong?” Thranduil frowned slightly as Legolas seemed more unsettled than usual.

“There may be.”

Thranduil looked disapprovingly at his son. “If you would elaborate.”

“On my patrol, I met a woman who stated that she was not from this world, nor did she look like it. Her clothing is not something I have ever seen.” He said and his father frowned, walking down the steps.

“Who is she?”

Legolas opened his mouth to answer, then closed it again.

Thranduil gave him a resigned glare. “Are you telling me, that you have met a person from another world, but you failed to get her name?”

“She failed to introduce herself and I thought you would like to ask personally.” Legolas explained.

“Where is she now?” Thranduil inquired and walked over to grab a glass of wine before going back onto his throne.

“She is with a few of your guards outside, waiting for you to receive her.”

“Send her in.” Thranduil ordered bluntly, waving a hand at the door.

“Yes, father.” Legolas bowed and turned around, leaving the room for a second only to come back in with two guards and an unusual clothed woman in chains.

 ———

The throne room was surprisingly quiet, despite the sole sound of rattling armor and synchronized steps. The woman seemed oblivious to her state of temporary imprisonment and walked with squared shoulders and a straight back, focusing on nothing in front of her.

Until she stood in front of the throne platform. Here, she looked up at the king and gave him a slight smile.

If Lee Pace had made his character look beautiful, it was nothing compared to the glorious lion in front of her. If she should choose, she definitely preferred this version. It was an unreal feeling to stand in front of the actual Elvenking. He was looking at her like he was staring trough her soul. Like he read her thoroughly, trying to figure out who she was. Elves could read minds in some of the stories, the fan fictions, that she had read back home. Maybe they actually could. She took no chances and did her best to shield her mind from uninvited visitors.

“Leave us.” Ordered his deep voice and the guards spun around to wait outside. Legolas stepped over to stand by the side, leaving the woman to herself in the centre while his father dramatically rose from his throne and descended the steps.

He eyed her curiously with a hint of coldness as he towered over her.

She didn’t seem intimidated by the slightest, calmly looking back at him.

“Who are you and what are you doing in my forest?”

“My name is Kiera Lagos Jones. As I told your son over there, I am from a different world than yours.” She replied.

“And why are you here then?” He asked further, starting to circle around her, another one of his intimidation tricks. It didn’t work. She kept looking straight forward, where he had stood a second ago.

“God sent me.”

“God?”

“Yes.”

“Why did he do that?”

“You must ask him that question, I cannot answer it.” She lied without batting an eye.

He quickly advanced on her from behind and she felt his breath on her ear.

“Are you sure about that?”

“Absolutely, Your Majesty.” She stated and continued to focus on the stone steps in front of her.

He barely let out a huff as he proceeded his interrogation, circling her and ending up where her sight was focused at. She met his gaze.

“You seem quite confident.” He observed with an almost insulted look.

“I have done nothing wrong.”

“You trespassed my land.”

“Actually _,_ no _._ I woke up here, so the only realm I have ever been in, here, is yours.”

He glared into her aqua blue eyes. “And for how long have you been that?”

“Four hours.” She responded, arching a brow.

His eyes narrowed, searching for any lies in her own. He found none. “How was your journey here?” He asked further.

“I don’t know. I woke up on a branch, then got found by your son and the other elves, then got led back here. We met some _unusually_ big spiders on the way though, and the dear prince managed to kill a spider before it bid my head off. Such talent. I wonder how hard he is to beat. Credit to any woman who can.” She said and stifled a smirk.

The king frowned angrily. “Cockiness and arrogance don’t get you far.” He warned.

 _I could say the same to you,_ Kiera thought smugly as she recalled the stories of him. “I usually call it humor, but if you find it unamusing then my apologies, Your Majesty.”

He glared at her.

She calmly gazed back.

Thranduil continued to scowl at her.

After a long time of silence, he turned to his son, who stood with his arms crossed. “Legolas, lead Kiera to her new chambers. She is our guest.”

Legolas gestured to the door, indicating that she could start moving. She gave an almost invisible inclination to the king and followed the prince’s recommendation, her chains clinking quietly around her wrists.

 _What a white lie_ , she thought, smirking discreetly.

Taking a turn down a corridor, Legolas stopped outside a set of doors. He turned to her and gestured to her hands. She held them before him and he started unwrapping the chains from her wrists. They had no lock, but were tight anyway. Kiera could testify to that. He took the chains in one hand and opened one of the doors for her with the other.

“Your chambers.” He said.

She nodded in thanks and entered the room.

The room contained a rather big bed that had been neatly made, a closet standing against the wall and a desk beside it. On the other side of the room was a window with a build-in bench to sit on, cushions softening the seating.

“If you need anything, you need just to voice your words to the guard posted out here in the corridor.” She heard Legolas say behind her and she turned to see him close the door. The sound of a lock turning didn’t escape her ears.

As she had expected, she was no guest - yet. She was merely a prisoner in a nice environment.

She turned to the closet and discovered three garments. A grey nightgown, a dark blue tunic and a green dress with a shawl hanging over the hanger that seemed to have been worn many times, but still shined with its beauty.

She walked to the build-in bench at the window, throwing her bag on it and looking out on the forest she had just been in. Quickly deciding what to do, she went back to the door and knocked. A moment passed and it swung open to reveal a guard whose expression was impassive, but his eyes shined of slight amusement. Perhaps he welcomed the thought of something to do rather than standing still.

“Sorry to bother, but is it possible for me to take a bath?”

“Yes, my lady. I will have a maid bring you to the baths, if you would please wait a moment.” She smiled kindly at his hospitality, but it quickly disappeared again as the door was closed and she was left alone again.

She sighed and rubbed her wrists where the chains had burned her slightly, returning to the bench. Her head still pounded since she had woken up and she was yet to figure out why - perhaps just the travelling between worlds. She sat down and rubbed her legs in comfort, when she felt something in her back pocket. She reached down and pulled out a smooth piece of folded paper. It surprised her that the elves hadn’t found it when they inspected her, but it _was_ very smooth - hard to see on the outside.

Unfolding it, she recognized her own writing on the parchment, where only two words were written in black ink.

_ List: _

_Jump_

Yes, elves were not at all trusting at first. Trust was a thing you earned. This made it worse. It would take a whole lot of time and effort to win the king’s.


	2. A Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiera enjoys some time to herself and later has quite the morning, going through a few things on her first day in Mirkwood.

"You know, it's very kind of you to help me, miss, but I prefer to bath in privacy, _please."_ Kiera informed the maid, who was patiently waiting for her to enter the bath with soap and towel in her hands. Kiera herself was nervously fidgeting with her hands behind her back as she was used to being alone when bathing.

It didn't comfort her much to have a stranger in the room along with her to silently judge her body and gossip about it to others. Also, just to know that somebody was watching her. It made her feel vulnerable. No, she preferred to enjoy bathing by herself.  

"Of course, my lady, I will leave you to it." The maid said, and she blushed slightly in embarrassment of her agitations. "Call for me if you need me. My name is Miriel."

"Thank you." Kiera gave her a hint of a smile as Miriel put the soaps and towel aside on a table and walked out the door, quietly closing it behind her.

Taking a deep breath, she took off her bra, shirt and tight jeans, letting them fall to the floor in heaps she didn't care about. Kicking off her shoes in a swift second, she quickly got into the water and felt the warmth surround her and loosen her surprisingly sore muscles. Her head ached less, but she still felt it mingling, sure that it would take a while before it disappeared entirely. She hadn't exactly done much other than getting here - and switching worlds. Considering that, she had been through _some_ kind of exhaustion.

She slowly drifted in the water and admired the room she occupied. It was the most beautiful bathroom she had ever been in. The room was carved into the cave walls, and the floor was made of matte sand stone. Another wooden table than the one Miriel had put her things on, was placed up the wall with a huge stone bowl on it and lotions beside it. A mirror was placed behind the bowl and a pitcher with water on the other side of the lotions, waiting to be used.

Light shone through windows that were build in high up in the walls, enlightening the room with a calm aura, relaxing Kiera further as she turned in the water. She inhaled slowly and dipped her head under the water, letting the pressure push at her head. The headache pounded louder, but nonetheless eased after a few seconds and she broke through the surface, sighing softly at the suddenly cold air flush against her skin.

After enjoying the bath for longer than what was considered legal, she got up and dressed in a dark blue robe, gathering her shoes and clothes from the floor. Walking out of the door in long strides, she was again reminded of the king's current state of mind as the guard who had been posted outside her room, instantly caught up with her and started leading her back to her chambers.

As she pushed aside the urge to talk with the guard, who probably would ignore her, she focused on her surroundings. The corridors were long and tall, fairly narrow but still wide enough for ten men walk side by side without touching the walls. Guards occupied the spaces in the shadows, watching Kiera and her 'companion' walk past them, continuing down to her own chambers.

She thanked the guard as he held the door open and she stepped into her newly appointed home. He held out his hands for her clothes to give to the maids.

"Please don't destroy them. I would like to keep them." She pulled the bundle out of reach. She loved the jeans and the t-shirt too. And living here without a bra? _I think not_ , she answered her own question in thought.

"I will make sure they return to you, my lady." He answered with a kind smile, a glint in his eye.

"Thank you." She said and narrowed her eyes in suspicion, though nevertheless gave him all but the shoes and bra. They wouldn't know how to wash it anyway.

He bowed and retreated, Kiera closing the door after him. Sighing, she turned to the bed, throwing the shoes and bra towards it, and she looked forward to sleeping for a few hours. She had no idea what time it was exactly, but out of the window, the sun had gone down and she could see the stars twinkling in the sky.

She threw herself on the bed, not worrying about nightgowns, and buried herself beneath the sheets and the soft pillows. It felt like five minutes had passed when she woke up by a knocking on the door. She mumbled a growl and got up, tightening the robe around her. The sun was high up and she bet on the life of humanity that her hair looked like a bird nest, but she couldn't care less as she walked to the door.

"Yes?" She sneered loudly enough for the person to hear and the door was opened to reveal the familiar guard.

"The king requires your presence. I would suggest you don't make him wait, my lady, and make haste." He said, glancing down the corridor nervously as if he was in a hurry.

"Would you please let me breathe for a second, and tell me what time it is?" Kiera asked, barely noticing the guard as she rubbed her eyes, running her hand through her hair, which she quickly gave up on after it was caught in small knots.

"It's two hours before noon, my lady. You have slept a rather long time." The guard explained hastily.

"Well I had a rather long journey, let a woman rest, for the love of God." She grumbled, not noticing his rush in her sleepy state as she saw the bundle he had in his hands. "Oh, you actually didn't destroy them?" She asked, her mood changing by the discovery.

"No, I did not." The guard replied, slightly surprised that she hadn't believed his first words the day before.

"Thank you." She flashed a short smile and took the bundle. "I'll get dressed."

He nodded and closed the door.

Turning to her closet, she chose the green dress and shawl to wear and studied it with her hands as she took it out of the closet. It was made of silk and almost felt like water that could slip through her fingers anytime if she didn't hold tightly onto the fabric.

Letting the dress glide over her head and hug her form, she stepped into the small slippers on the floor, that had similar color to the dress, and draped the shawl over her shoulders. She snatched the brush on the vanity and brushed her hair in an attempt to sort out the mess some eagle had been making overnight.

Half done, the door opened without warning and the guard stepped in. "There's no time, we must go now."

"What?! But I'm not ready!" She yelled, referring to her unfinished hair, as the guard took her brush and threw it back on the vanity, pushing her out the door and down the corridor before she could do much else. 

"You have to survive with what you have."

"I never caught your name." She sneered.

"Castien." 

"Well, Castien, I'm Kiera. I hope you're fine with me cursing your name down to the deepest part of hell for this." She growled and turned to see his offended expression. She huffed. "How dare you let me see the king with hair that's been visited by a storm."

"My apologies, my lady." Castien answered, but Kiera didn't believe him. 

"Yeah, you better give me a shitload of those." She rolled her eyes and started to walk normally instead of resisting Castien's pushing.

After a longer journey through the cavernous hallways, Castien stopped outside a pair of magnificent oak doors that were tall enough for a giant to walk through without bumping its head on the door frame. "Wait here." He bid and entered the room. 

She heard his mumbled voice announce she was here and another person, supposedly the king, answer. Before she could blink, Castien had returned and led her into the room.

Thranduil was standing at his desk looking at a few papers with whatever information was on them. A quill and pen was beside them, assembling dust on their surface. 

Legolas was sitting on a puffy chair to the left, beside a window that showed a great view of Mirkwood, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and a wine glass in his hands, observing every move she made. They hadn't exactly started off on the right foot. He seemed surprised by her appearance and eyed her disapprovingly.

She heard Castien leave again, and she was left with the two royals.

"I hope you enjoyed your sleep." The king said, not removing his eyes from his work as his voice traveled around the room.

"I did, thank you. I hope you did as well. What can I help you with, Your Majesty?" Kiera asked, jumping over the formalities and going straight to the matter.

"Tell me of your world." He said, finally looking at her. He eyed her hair. "Why is your hair not combed properly?" He continued.

"Because your guard, Castien, didn't let me finish. He thought there wasn't enough time for me to look presentable." 

"I apologize for that. Let me take care of it later." He gestured for her to sit in one of the chairs where Legolas was and she gracefully sat opposite the prince. Thranduil walked over with two wine glasses that she hadn't noticed before and handed one to her. She took it and he sat down beside his son, sipping at the drink in his bejeweled hand.

Kiera felt like she was being interrogated. Despite her discomfort, she kept a calm demeanor and confidently met the monarch's gaze. "What do you want to know?" she asked as she crossed her legs, making sure the silk dress didn't reveal too much. The king and prince noticed the inked snake circling around her left calf but said nothing about it.

"Everything." Thranduil answered, swirling the wine around in his glass.

"Well, I can't exactly do that, I'm not an all-knowing genius, but I can tell you what I do know." Kiera replied, sipping at her own glass.

"Excellent." The king declared, indicating that she should start.

Kiera leaned back in her seat and took in a breath, contemplating where she should start. "I come from a world called Earth. Humans and all sorts of animals live there."

"What of elves?" Legolas inquired, frowning as he too settled back in his seat.

"Elves don't reside on Earth as a people. They're creatures of fairy tales and only exist in stories, just like dragons and magic do. They're not real." Kiera said, wondering what they would say to that.

"And dwarves?" Thranduil asked right after.

"Dwarves don't exist as a race either, but we do have human dwarves."

"So what races do you have?" Legolas proceeded. 

"Humanity."

"An entire world with only one race?" He frowned.

"Yes."

"How many are you?" Thranduil asked as Legolas took a sip of his own wine.

Kiera looked up at the ceiling as she thought back. "Last time I checked, we were about seven and a half billion."

Legolas coughed as he choked on his drink. "That is a lot of people."

"It's a big place and we've been there for a long time." Kiera smiled, drinking again.

"Since it is one race, do you all live in the same realm?" Thranduil questioned.

"No." She thought of the idea of how she could explain and if she should do what she had in mind, but wondered if she dared. "Let me show you." She decided and got up, placing her glass on the table in front of her. "Please don't get mortified, I'm not gonna flash you or something." She informed and ignored their confused looks.

Turning around, she brought all her long, messy hair over one shoulder. She took a breath and let her shawl fall down to her elbows, allowing the thin dress straps to glide with it and rest on the sides of her arms, and she clutched the top of her dress to make sure it didn't slide down. All that was bared was her upper back.

 "This is Earth." She declared, and she heard both elves get up from their seats. 

On her back was a tattooed map of Earth, with all the country borders marked. Some shapes were colored in different shades, but most of them were still her skin color. "Earth has about two hundred countries - realms - spread out in the seven continents." She felt a hand on her shoulder blade, following the line of whatever country was there.

"Why are some of them colored?" Thranduil asked behind her and she realized it was his hand that were touching the tattoo. She ignored the slight chill that went through her.

"They are the countries I've been to." She said bluntly.

"You've seen much in your life. How long have you walked on your Earth?" his deep voice asked. 

"Have you never learned not to ask such a question to a lady, Your Majesty?" She smirked feeling his hand retreat. It quickly returned with a finger on a spot.

"Where is this?" 

"I can't see my back. Do you have a mirror?"

Immediately, she was handed a mirror and she saw into a second one that the king held. It clearly showed her back. "That's Europe. The country your pointing at is Spain."

His finger slid over to another colored spot. "France." Again, his finger slid to a spot. "England, my homeland." Another. "Brazil. Kenya. Italy. Egypt. Do you need to know every single one?" She asked, feeling rather awkward to stand there and say a bunch of countries to thin air. She quickly grew tired of saying them.

"I do, but we can take the rest another day." The king replied with an impassive voice, removing his hand from her back.

She sighed, rather relieved.

Turning around, she saw Legolas was in the middle of drawing a half-finished copy of the map that looked incredibly accurate of what he had drawn so far. "If you would please help us finish it later on, that is, I would be thankful." Thranduil continued and folded his hands behind his back.

"Of course, I'd be glad to." She answered him, pulling up her sleeves and she stepped up beside the prince to admire the drawing. "That's impressive. How did you do it with such precision, freehand?"

 Legolas gave her a slight grin. "Magic."

She smirked, happy that the prince had some form of humor, and observed the king step closer to her out of the corner of her eye, studying her body. It made her quite uncomfortable. She turned to tell him to back off, but he gently grabbed both her wrists before she could say anything and stared at her forearms.

"Who did this to you?" He asked, tracing them just like he did with her back. "Who gave you the map?" He was studying a few of her other tattoos. On her left arm was a woman fighting to get up, on her right was a tattoo of hands shaking, though one was shattered to pieces. 

"I did." Kiera told him. "A tattoo artist made them, though."

"What are they?" He continued, focusing on the shattered hand.

"Promises."

"To whom?"

"Myself."

 She pulled her arms to herself and took a few steps back. "Was there anything else?" She asked, folding her hands in front of her.

"No, I'm sure we will have lots to talk about another time."

"So, I can leave?"

Thranduil arched a brow. "Yes."

"Brilliant." She clasped her hands in front of her. "It was nice seeing you again and good talk. Have a lovely day, Your Majesties." She smiled and turned around, quickly exiting the room before he changed his mind.

Taking a deep breath, she glared at the amused Castien, who again led her back to her chambers.

 "I will kill you." She declared and Castien burst out laughing as if they had been friends for ages, surprising Kiera. "Not before the king does though."

Castien instantly fell silent. "Pardon me, my lady?"

Kiera glared at him again. "I haven't forgiven you for my hair yet," she said, and his excitement drizzled out. Then she smirked. "But if you do such a prank on someone else, I predict that you and I are gonna be great friends."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you’re all enjoying the story so far! It’ll be a few days before the next chapter is up, but stay tuned for more! Thanks for kudos and comments!


	3. A Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiera goes on adventures and finds out more about Mirkwood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HERE WE ARE AGAIN! I hope you enjoy!

Kiera grumbled as she stared out the window of her room, tired of sitting there, locked inside. It was late afternoon, three days after she had arrived and she wanted to get out after having spent all day in her chambers. She wanted to move. Experience. Explore. She didn’t know if she was allowed to though. So far, the elves had been kind to her - save for Castien who had nearly humiliated her to death - but she wasn’t sure if it was sincere or simply a facade.

She still felt at unease of being in Mirkwood. She wasn’t sure what to think. She felt safe, but the thought of something dangerous lurking behind every corner she turned kept tingling in the back of her mind, poking at her anxiety like a demon. It was nerve wracking to sit there, feeling like something was right before her eyes and she couldn’t see it. As if it was just waiting for her to take the wrong step.

As she watched the wind blow around yet another tree in the forest, the leaves wavering violently by the force, she got up and walked to the door, settled on a task. She knocked on the door once with a fist rather than a knuckle, and it quickly got opened to reveal a surprised Castien. “My lady?” He said hesitantly.

“Evening, Castien, how’s it going with you? Care to accompany me for a stroll?” Kiera asked bluntly and leaned against the doorframe. “I’m bored to death in here and I’d like to know if you’d allow me to see this beautiful place you call home.”

Castien raised his eyebrows at her bluntness but nodded. “Why of course, my lady. Where would you like to go?” He asked and stood at attention, looking at her with curious eyes.

“Wherever your elven mind finds interesting.” She answered and Castien smirked.

“Let us go then.” He said, and Kiera nodded, walking out to follow beside him.

On, Castien went, to show her the Woodland Realm. As she had already seen the Throne Room two days prior, he thought to skip that and instead started in the kitchens where he let her speak with the chefs of how they made the variety of foods and meals in their stock, along with some information on whatever ingredients they used. Kiera was happy to find out that elves weren’t vegetarians as a species but was by simple personal preference, just like humans. That meant that she indeed could eat meats while she was here. She didn’t know how to survive without, so this was a great discovery.

Most elves were hesitant to talk with her, eyeing her suspiciously and unsettled by the thought of this strange woman that the rumors had said were from a different world. They seemed just as nice as everyone else when they found the courage to approach her or answer the questions she had, but when they weren’t in a situation of confrontation, they stayed further away and settled with simply watching her.

Castien was quick to tell her that the kitchens were only one of his many beloved places in the realm and urged her to let him show her the rest before dusk would creep upon them. He led her through many corridors that all seemed the same in design yet different altogether. Kiera thought that perhaps they were similar in architecture but different in their context, which explained the answer to her slight awe.

She was soon followed to what Castien revealed to be the Barracks, showing her the rows of doors that closed off the soldiers’ rooms. He then led her to the guards’ Common Room, a place where most of them either dozed off or played games and talked in between watches.

After Castien had said hello to a few of the guards that appeared to be his good friends, only introducing Kiera as they had glanced at her and she had nodded in return without a word, Castien dragged her along to the next place he wanted her to see: The Training Grounds.

This was a place that certainly interested Kiera.

She watched every soldier pull back the strings on their bows at the archery plains further away from the rest of the grounds, studying how they held the bow and let the arrow fly, hitting the targets rather close to the center. Turning her eyes to the guards closer to her, she observed the many groups of two that sparred with one another. In one of them, one guard lashed out at the other with a dagger, determined to bury it in his lung, but he quickly got pushed to the ground with a shield to the chest and a sword to the throat. Having yelped in surprise, the guard looked at the blade pressed to his skin and slowly showed his hands in surrender. The victor helped him up and they both bowed to each other, peace reformed between them.

Kiera arched a brow at them, surprised that the loser hadn’t noticed the dirty trick the other had done so he could win. She clearly had seen him kick out his opponent’s knee while he had pushed, making sure that the loser fell to the ground - and stayed there long enough for the other to win.

She huffed a chuckle and turned back to Castien who eagerly stood beside her, watching her as well as the grounds. “Is this where your soldiers become such great warriors as you say?” She asked, and he nodded with a smile.

“Indeed, my lady, that is here.” He answered and looked proud to admit such, straightening his back and pushing back his shoulders to look further appealing.

Kiera raised an eyebrow at him and stifled a laugh. “I see it still needs a little improvement.” She mumbled, only him to hear, and she watched as his pride fizzled out, surprised of her words. She gestured to the guards she had just watched and turned back in to the corridor to explore the rest of the realm. “Come, show me everything else.” She requested and Castien slowly caught up, a little less excited than their prior adventures.

He continued to show her around as promised, telling her of the few herbs he knew of in the Healing Quarters before a healer took over to elaborate, which she found rather interesting. She had never been much of a doctor, but it was always good to know what to use if you got injured, and certainly in this place.

Further she was shown to both the Grand Hall and the Dining Hall. The Grand Hall was a huge space, a room with but a floor waiting to be filled with people or tables and chairs at the sight of a feast. A few guards were found around the pillars, the light cascading through windows to the sides and high up at the rock ceiling. The Dining Hall, which they swiftly ended up in after the prior room had been rather empty and dull to look at without anything in it, was occupied with tables and benches and the voices of a thousand elves or more.

The elves filled the room as they sat upon the wood, eating their dinner eagerly after a long day with duties and bustled with gossip about the next elf that had managed to do something interesting. Kiera thought to join, when the nearest elf mentioned a strange human that no one knew who was, and she settled with the snatching of a bread and a glass of wine, gulping it down as they continued. She looked back at Castien, thinking that it was time to leave once more.

Except Castien wasn’t there anymore.

Kiera looked around to find him, furrowing her brow as she tried to locate her guard. Such was hard when everyone was either gifted with brown or black hair and each looked worthy enough to be enlisted as one of Victoria’s Angels. Yes, Castien was long lost in the crowd of his beauty kin, and he most likely was stuffing himself with the food at some table. Kiera sighed, pondering on what to do now.

She could stay. Sit down and enjoy the feast of a dinner in front of her, perhaps make another friend than Castien who clearly had left her hanging. He must have grown tired of her or simply gotten hungry. Maybe both were the case.

She could also go on her own. There was a small risk she would get caught but that wouldn’t happen would it? Was she not allowed to see the realm? She was here after all, and no one had stopped her. Would they notice that she didn’t have Castien with her? Weren’t they all busy with their duties? Yes. She could go herself. It was fine. She was safe.

Kiera let her eyes roam over the crowd one more time, just to see if she was able to find Castien in faded hope but walked away empty handed as she exited the Dining Hall and continued aimlessly through the corridors.

She glanced at the few guards that walked by her or those who stood watch at every other corner and she resisted the urge to nervously fiddle with her hand. They could call on her at any moment, step forward, maybe point their spear at her and ask what she was doing there all alone. And what would she say? _You can piss right off before I place that spear up where the sun doesn’t shine,_ Kiera thought at her question and had to suppress a chuckle as she had eye contact with one guard who frowned at her. She nodded in greeting and continued down the corridor where more guards seemed to appear, standing outside every door there was. As she saw her surroundings grow grander, more protected and more upheld, she figured that this was the Royal Wing.

She wondered if the king was there or if he was in the Throne Room. She certainly didn’t want to stumble upon him here, so she discreetly steered away and walked down a quieter corridor where it appeared that less guards stood watch, doing her best to get away from the king’s quarters.

She hardly looked back as she walked through the hallways, the place silent as no guards occupied the shadows anymore, only her footsteps echoing against the bare walls. It was only when she reached the last turn, with the last hallway before her, that she realized there were no ignited torches on the walls and the corridor lay empty with nothing but the spiders on their webs to accompany her.

She stopped in her tracks, staring down the corridor where there was a door at the end. It had a golden flow to it, the moonlight, that indicated night had fallen, shining onto the metal engraved in the door as it wound up around the doorknob and around or into the cracks in the wood. It looked flawless from her perspective. But it seemed to have a story.

A story she had yet to hear.

She was tempted to take a step down the corridor and then follow it with another. But it felt wrong. Was this what she thought it was?

It was so quiet that if she dropped a pin, it would surprise her by the sound. She barely dared to breathe as she frowned in wonder, her eyes roaming every inch of the door like it could tell her more of what was behind it. Her hand had subconsciously reached out as if she wanted to touch the wood that stood so far away.

With a stubborn sigh, she retracted her hand and turned away.

It was a story she could yet be told.

She walked back along the corridors as she tried to leave the area, searching for glimpses of guards and lit torches and every time she found either, she followed them, trying to find a way out.

 _Curse these god forsaken maze corridors and the architectures as well,_ Kiera internally spat and nearly let out a groan of frustration as she saw the amount of guards that were further in front of her. She gritted her teeth in annoyance, determined not to be caught in the wrong place, and she turned to the left, hurrying down another corridor with quiet steps as she searched for an exit. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she managed to get away without any guards catching her or the king cutting her head off by being in the Royal Wing without permission.

She hurried down staircases, settled on the task of getting as low as possible and as far away from the king as she could. Surprisingly, she indeed ended up long away from the Wing as she admired the doors of the cells, deep down in the dungeons.

Here, guards too stood watch despite that barely anyone seemed to occupy the cells they guarded. If there even were any. She knew this to be the place where the dwarves had been imprisoned and where Bilbo had freed them after taking the keys. She studied the nearest cell, looking over it before glancing at the nearby guard who eyed her curiously.

“What do you do here?” He asked, and she smiled innocently.

“I’m just exploring the realm. Going on adventures.” She answered and placed her hands behind her back as she leaned against the wall with a shoulder.

He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “You shouldn’t be here. Explore other parts of the realm, my lady.” He ordered, and Kiera arched a bold brow.

“Am I at your command?” She asked and instead crossed her arms in front of her.

The guard looked at her surprised, never having expected such a question and he seemed at a loss of what to answer.

“I thought so.” Kiera smirked and leaned back off the wall, walking away to bring her adventure elsewhere.

She eventually ended up in the cellars where it was stocked with bottles of wine and barrels of just the same. She eyed the yet-to-be-build pyramid of the barrels that had been emptied and stocked onto the ramp, knowing that it would later come in handy for a certain company.

She turned to the rack of wine bottles, letting a hand brush over her chin as she thought of drinking one. Would she be allowed that? Probably not. Would she do it anyways? Probably, but that would be very stupid.

She was sure that among the wines, one legendary drink could be found and enjoyed by just the right person. She had always wondered if it was as good as vodka or if it ran a strong second place.

Perhaps, the question would never be answered, for at that moment, the Elvenking silently stepped up beside her with his hands behind his back, looking over each wine as she did.

“Are you searching for something, Kiera?” Thranduil asked with his deep voice and Kiera struggled not to smile right in his face and take the wine in front of his eyes.

“I could be. I was wondering if I was allowed to enjoy such delicacies as this or if I must confide in water until I no longer stand on my own two legs and call myself alive?” She said and turned her head to look up at him with an impassive look.

He arched a brow at her question but otherwise didn’t show any emotion. “Perhaps you should.” He answered and pulled out a dark red wine bottle before he turned and sat at a table, pouring a glass for himself. He didn’t say which beverage he meant for her so Kiera remained standing where she was, watching him as he took the glass in hand and looked back at her. “Perhaps not?” He asked and looked at her with a raised eyebrow as he sipped the wine.

Kiera finally understood that he had invited her to drink and she sat down beside him while he poured a glass for her. She took it gracefully and leaned back against the table, resting her elbow on the surface as she kept her eyes on him.

“So, what do you do here, Your Majesty?” She asked and tasted her wine, immediately sure that this was the famous Dorwinion wine that she knew the king loved. She pulled back to study the glass, taking in the scent. “This is good wine. Perhaps a favorite?” She asked and raised the glass in question before taking another sip.

“Indeed, it is.” Thranduil answered and looked at her with piercing eyes, searching for the smallest trace of weakness. “And to answer your first question, I believe this is my realm. I could ask you the same thing.”

Kiera smirked and put down the glass. “I wanted to see your realm. I happened to end up here after seeing most of the interesting halls. You have a beautiful home.” She complimented, and he resisted the urge to glare.

“Sometimes, your adventures should be kept to where they are allowed.” He said and watched as Kiera’s eyes widened slightly in shock and she realized he had discovered her explorations in the Royal Wing. “You wouldn’t like to find me in an angry mood, and especially not if you are the cause.” He warned, scolding her with his cold gaze.

Kiera finally let out a laugh and Thranduil arched a brow at the mocking tone she projected. “We are not ourselves when we are angry, Your Highness.” She said and Thranduil managed to keep an impassive expression. “So, if you are angry, I wouldn’t find you but someone else.”

The king leaned forward and narrowed his eyes at her while she took another sip of wine. “And who would you find?”

“How should I know?” Kiera answered and blinked innocently at him.

He leaned back again and finally drank some more of his own wine. “Who would _I_ find if it was you?” He asked and eyed her suspiciously.

Kiera looked back at him, having somewhat expected the question. “A shadow.” She answered calmly and finished her glass. “I hope you never see it.” She said and the cogs in Thranduil’s mind instantly started churning to figure out what she meant by that.

Kiera got up and placed the empty glass on the table, watching the king with a bold look. “Thanks for the wine, Your Majesty. It’s as good as I would think.” She commented and then left him before he could say more.

Thranduil looked after her with the coldest glare he could muster, angered by the arrogant demeanor she radiated towards him. He wasn’t sure who she was or why she was there, but he knew she was hiding something. She was smart, and he noticed how she seemed to think over every word she spoke. There was something she didn’t want him to know. But he would find out.

He finished the wine and grabbed both glass and bottle, stood from the wooden bench and walked out of the cellars in long strides, determined to focus on his duties as king rather than the impotent human who had accompanied him.

He would find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Next chapter will be up as soon as possible. Thank you for the kudos and please comment and if you want. I live off of feedback;)


	4. A Fantasy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once more, Kiera leaves her rooms as she is asked for her presence elsewhere. Mysterious things occur and many questions are asked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! This one took me a while but I’ve finally gotten it done and I hope y’all enjoy!

Kiera was simply drawing on a piece of parchment, doing her best attempt of making a sketch of the quill on the desk, when a knock on the door disrupted her focus and she nearly messed up the entire piece. It wasn't a master's work, and she hadn't intended it to be. Just practice, but it was nonetheless still frustrating to almost ruin it.

She sighed, getting up from her seat to answer. It seemed that everyone wanted to talk with her at some point during the day where she was busy, but never when the wind was quiet, and her room seemed to freeze in time. Never was she interrupted in boredom, but indeed she was, when she finally found something productive to do.

Yesterday had been quite interesting for her. She had seen most of the realm, including Castien's favorite spots; the kitchens and the training grounds as well as the dining hall where everyone seemed to enjoy each other's company during meals. She had seen the depths of the dungeons before being shooed away by a guard and had seen the rakes of wine in the cellars with more bottles than seemed possible. She hadn't been there for long before Thranduil had joined her, asking curious questions about her. She knew he didn't trust nor like her and she wasn't surprised. She wouldn't either, but she rather needed him to do so if she wanted to stay here.

And then there was that door she had found. Thranduil hadn't wanted her to see it and he certainly seemed angry that she had snuck around in the Royal Wing. It made her curious. Something hid behind it and she wasn't supposed to know what. Was she the only one? Was everyone else allowed?

As she tried to shrug off her annoyance, she once more opened the door like the day before and met Castien's eyes as he stood straight, giving her a friendly smile despite the seriousness of his job.

"You are to meet Prince Legolas in the library. I am here to bring you there, my lady." He explained, and Kiera arched a surprised brow.

"Am I going there in chains?" She asked bluntly, thinking back to the last time she saw Legolas - apart from her visit in Thranduil's chambers - where he had insisted she was in restraints.

Castien's smile vanished as he looked at her confused. "No. Why would you?" He asked cautiously, suddenly unsure if he had heard the command correctly.

"Because I think he prefers me helpless rather than free." She stated and Castien shook his head, discarding her assumptions.

"No, my lady, that's not true. You won't be in chains." He assured and gestured for her to follow.

Kiera looked herself up and down, wondering if her unworldly clothes would be accepted as an attire and thought that if it wasn't, what would they do? Strip her bare on the spot? Ask her to go back and change? If the first happened, she'd fight her way out of it before they even laid a finger on her. If the second did, she'd simply do it.

Taking a deep breath, she shrugged and walked out the door to do as Castien said, following beside him. She wondered why Legolas needed her, but surely it wasn't something she had done wrong.

Had Thranduil told him of their meeting the day before? Was that what he wanted to talk about? Would they practice? Was he taking her on a patrol? Why were they meeting in the library?

Leaving all her questions without answers, Castien mumbled on along the way of how he had been on guard the whole day and why he looked so much forward to dinner.

"They say there is chicken tonight. Rice and asparagus." He said excitedly, clearly loving the menu for the evening so far. "If she isn't finished with her duties yet, I'll bring something for my sister."

Kiera raised an eyebrow. "Who's your sister?" She asked, open for developing further friendships than the ones she had at the moment.

Castien smiled brightly, obviously proud to admit who it was. "Her name is Miriel. She is a maid, favored by the king, actually. He is very satisfied with her work and I'm very proud of her for all she's done. I'll introduce you!" He suggested happily, and Kiera let out a short laugh.

"How ironic," she started and Castien frowned. She smirked at him and shrugged. "I met her the day I arrived when I took a bath. She was my maid." Kiera explained, and he couldn't help but laugh with her. "She was very kind. I hope to get to know her better." She admitted, and he nodded eagerly.

"I'm sure she would like to as well." He replied and opened the door to the library as they finally arrived, revealing one of the last grand places that she had yet to see.

It was stunning to say the least.

The bookshelves reached all the way to the roof, containing thousands of books and scrolls of all sizes. One book on a nearby shelf seemed to be at least a foot thick and Kiera wondered how in the world it had been possible to create, and who had had the patience to write so many pages. 

The afternoon sun shone through windows that hid in the corners of upper walls, the cavernous tree pillars wrapping up around the sides and turning into the ceiling. Dozens of tables occupied spaces throughout the hall, split in smaller groups and situated in the middle of the room between the shelves, following all the way down to where it eventually ended.

A few elves walked down the paths between the shelves, reading the backs of books or pulling out a number of them to carry to a table along with scrolls or quills to work with. They clearly seemed occupied and deep in thought. Some appeared to study for their profession while others were just reading for entertainment.

 _How gorgeous_ , Kiera thought in awe and looked closer at the detail in one of the pillars that was built in as the side of a shelf. _I wonder how long it took to build..._

She suddenly noticed Legolas stand at a bigger table separated from the others, leaning against it with his hands on the surface as he studied whatever was on it. She cautiously walked closer, expecting him to give her a glare and order her to be chained up.

Glancing back at Castien, she saw that he had stopped and waved goodbye, indicating that this was where they parted. She nodded in return, glad that the chance for restraints was lessened, and held her breath as she approached the prince, looking over his shoulder at what he was admiring.

Finally, she realized why she was there and why he had asked for her.

On the table was the map that Legolas had started two days before, Earth drawn out in a detailed sketch with the continents and countries marked. Now, only the names of the lands and the seas waited to be written, and the map would be finished.

"I don't know what you find so interesting about Russia." She said, and he turned to look at her, clearly having heard her arrive with his elven hearing. As he hadn't flinched the slightest at her sudden interruption of his thoughts, she figured nothing less. Kiera frowned at him and shook her head. "It's cold, people are insane and the only good thing you can find, is vodka." She declared and sat down on a chair beside him as she looked from him to the map. "I found out first hand."

Legolas arched an eyebrow and crossed his arms as he looked down at her, eyeing her foreign clothes. "I find it to be a rather big place compared to your other realms." He stated and cocked his head to the side. "What is this so called 'vodka' you speak of? Is it a place you can visit there?" He asked, and Kiera had to laugh out loud at his innocence.

It seemed to offend him somehow and he leaned forward, scowling at her. "Is it a question you wouldn't want to answer?" He asked calmly, annoyed by her rude attitude.

"No." Kiera disagreed and leaned forward in response, only resulting in Legolas moving back slightly as to not get too close. "It's a drink." She answered and smirked. "Strong alcohol." She continued and leaned back in her seat again. "Good alcohol."

Legolas huffed and straightened again, looking down at her in slight disgust as he only thought of his father with his craving for wine. He turned back to the map and gestured to it. "If you could help with this, please." He suggested, and Kiera eyed the map of her home. 

"What do you need it for?" She asked, narrowing her eyes as he pursed his lips.

"My father wants to know of your world, and a map of it would be a start. If you know anything about each of the countries' history, we'll make note of it." He explained bluntly and Kiera nodded in understanding.

"Interesting." She said and moved a hand to point at the massive country she had just mentioned. "Russia - the place made me curious, taught me a few things..." she said and continued to explain a few things about it before she moved to the next.

"China - most populated country with over a billion people..." She explained and did as before. 

"Thailand ... Japan ... India ... Germany ... Denmark ... Sweden ..." on she went to tell of the countries she had visited, while explaining the history she knew and her experiences in each of them. United States of America. Canada. Argentina. South Africa. Australia. 

The list was long and it surprised Legolas how much of the world she had seen. She seemed young of her human years, maybe a little over two decades. And yet, she had seen more tides turning in her world than the times a star seemed to twinkle in the sky.

She spoke of what she called 'continents' and that there were seven of them, equal to the seas. She explained how each were different in culture and that each had their own stereotypical emotion. Europe was cold and empty, said by Kiera herself, while Africa was hot and filled with life. North and South America were united yet couldn't be further apart when it came to opinions, hence her reference to their names. She told him of how Antarctica wasn't cold, but frozen, and it wasn't filled with life, but neither was it empty.

She spoke of how Asia seemed to bustle with people more than any other place in her world, a home for the markets and various religions. And then she mentioned Australia, a continent and a country like no other as it was split from the rest of world, different in every way you could imagine.

Legolas found himself to like her more after each story she told, deeply intrigued by the tales of this world he had never known existed. His disapproval lessened to nothing and respect started to grow.

She was something else.

She seemed excited to tell of her home, sharing what she had known for her whole life, and she smiled brighter after every tale had finished. She told of her travels and how she got around, telling of her grandmother and how she loved to go places with her while her father was busy with his work. She spoke of the deep love that she had for the old woman and that she had almost been a mentor in her life, guiding her through it after her mother had left the world to join the spirits.

Legolas frowned slightly in sorrow as she mentioned her mother. "My condolences." He said quietly and Kiera shrugged with a barely visible smile. "Thank you." She replied quickly and mentally pushed away the subject as she looked over the map that was close to finished after having most of the names added.

"What of your father?" He inquired, and Kiera's smile faltered, vanishing as it was replaced with a thin line.

"My father lives in England. Working as always." She said, silently hoping that they could change subject again. "I haven't talked to him in some time."

"Why not? Do you not converse through letters in your world?"

"We did once, now we have a different technology, but that isn't the reason. We parted," she explained, thinking back to when she moved to the US for a change, three years back. "And it appears that he preferred that. We had an... argument of sorts. I concluded that my time to leave had come." She said and decided to leave it at that, sending him a stern look that told him to do the same.

Legolas nodded in understanding, taking a deep breath as he discreetly stretched. "Well, Kiera, I don't believe we can do much more. Thank you for your help and for your many stories." He thanked and looked down at both the map and the many notes he had taken for each place she had talked about.

Kiera forced on a smile and nodded. "Of course. Please do call for me another time if I am needed." She offered, and Legolas smiled back, taking his papers and leaving the room with a final nod at her.

She looked after him, happy that they had come to terms with each other and finally had started to form a sort of friendship. _At least he doesn't hate me anymore_ , she reasoned with herself and turned to the many shelves in the room, curious to see if she could find something interesting to read.

Surely, there was a story or two about the history of Middle Earth as well as some more information about Mirkwood. Tolkien never really did focus much on the Woodland Realm, but now that she was here, there would most likely be something hiding among the pages.

She walked down one path, brushing her hand over each back of the books as she read the titles. Some were in English - or Common Tongue as they called it here - and some were in either Sindarin or Quenyan, which she had yet to learn. It was indeed on her bucket list, and she had endless of time to learn it here. Smiling to herself, she decided to start studying the language as soon as possible and thought of how she could be taught.

The sound of a quiet bump made her flinch out of her thoughts, the silence around her having deafened her senses. It almost sounded like something had been dropped, or if a book had fallen onto the floor after slipping off a shelf.

Kiera looked down the path, the tall rows of books towering over her. The floor slowly grew darker as she moved further down and tried to find what was there, the light barely seeping in as she walked deeper into the narrow space. It was harder to read book titles and it grew quieter. Almost as if she was leaving the room and entering another. The path felt endless and only flickers of light from torches managed to break through the spaces in the shelves, shining onto the pages and the book covers.

Swallowing the slight nervousness that had settled in her throat in the form of a lump, Kiera stopped disappointedly as she was surrounded by the silence again. Apparently, it had been nothing. Perhaps it was just something she had thought she heard, while nothing had happened at all.

She resisted grumbling and looked at the shelf in front of her, attempting to read what letter she had reached.

Her eyes widened suddenly as she saw her old sketchbook lay on top of the scrolls, having appeared out of nowhere.

She gasped quietly and grabbed it, pulling it to her as she flipped it open.

How was her sketchbook here? She hadn't brought it with her. She hadn't drawn in it in days, perhaps weeks. She couldn't remember when. It had been long. Very long, and how it had managed to end up in Middle Earth was beyond her. 

Old sketches she remembered drawing all too well flashed before her eyes as she flipped through it, trying to make herself believe that she had found the real one. Trying to figure out if it was a trick. Were they playing games with her? Was this Thranduil's work? Legolas'? It couldn't be - they didn't even know she had one.

Kiera closed the book quickly and looked down each way of the path, the light from the sun shining awfully bright into the opening of the path. She clutched the book to her chest as she wondered what people would say if they would have found it, walking back the path to get out. 

There was private stuff in it. Stories and memories. Some that only she knew what meant. Others were related to this world - what if the wrong person saw them? No, this wasn't a book for strangers. This wasn't art to be admired by unknown eyes. 

It was hers and only hers.

Deciding that her time in the library had run out, she hurried out from path and out of the room, darting her eyes around in the corridors as she searched for any elves that perhaps waited for her.

What did this mean?

Why was it here?

And why in the world were there no answers to all her questions?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment and ask questions or give me your thoughts, and thank you for the kudos! Feedback is my life source.


	5. A Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some "quality-time" with some of the elves Kiera have met. And a whole lot of thinking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again! So this one is a little short but I still hope you enjoy! You get to know Kiera juuuuust a little better;)

The scratching sound of lead against parchment filled the quiet room that was Kiera’s chambers as she worked on yet another drawing in her book at the wooden desk.

She still had little idea of how it had ended up in Middle Earth and she couldn’t figure out why it had landed somewhere in the library where she had been those two months ago. It could easily have ended up in the wrong hands and then she would only have further complications. So, she had simply pushed the question aside and spent her time looking through the book that contained so many of her thoughts and memories and continued to live in the realm in the privacy of her chambers.

She mostly spent her time confided in that little room, away from prying eyes and curious whispers of who she was and why she was here. If she roamed the halls, she mostly went to the dining hall or the kitchens, sometimes going to the training grounds to watch guards practice. She had yet to do so herself, but she waited for the right moment to start. She didn’t know if they would allow her, a stranger, close to weapons and she refused to ask. She wanted them to allow her on their own accord. Trust her with it.

Kiera had seen little of the king throughout the months, only catching a glimpse of him in the throne room or the dining hall, watching him at his royal table along with his son. She was sure he kept a close eye on her, the clear distrust towards her evident in his gaze every time his eyes pierced hers. He rarely talked with her and when he did, he asked what she was up to and how she was faring in his home even though he always carried a cold mask and a harsh voice. Wishing to be kind and faithful, she answered truthfully and told that indeed did she enjoy it and was happy to live among his people.

Legolas on the other hand, had become better friends with her and they often roamed the halls or the gardens where he told of Mirkwood and the elves along with the traditions they had. He beamed of pride with every question he answered and was happy to feed her information of his people’s history when she asked. Unknowing of her already broad knowledge of his world, she inquired of anything that came to mind, so she could fall better into place among the elves and win their trust more easily.

In return, the prince asked questions about her own world, her own life, and she told him of how she had grown up in London with her father. Having no siblings and her father busy with his job as an architect, she explained why her grandmother always took her around the world and saw the different wonders of the earth.

“You see, my mother came from Greece.” Kiera said and thought back to the fond memory of her, “her name was Sophia. She and her sister, my aunt Alena, grew up in Athens with my grandparents. But after my grandfather died in a work accident, my grandmother moved to England. It was too hard for her to live in Greece from the memory of my grandfather.”

She sighed quietly after Legolas extended his condolences and shrugged with a slight smile, aware that there was little pain left for him anymore. “It’s a long time ago. When my mother died when I was five, my aunt did the same thing: She moved back to Greece. I haven’t seen her much in my life because I remind her too much of her sister.” She explained and stopped to admire the flowerbed in the garden.

Legolas stopped beside her and looked down at the white rose that twirled around the twigs. “May I ask how she died?” He inquired hesitantly, turning his head slightly to look at her.

Kiera nodded. “Cancer. It’s a disease that rarely is found a cure for. She was... infected... after I was born. My father didn’t take it well.” She ended, remembering how he had reacted to her mother’s death.

Legolas didn’t ask further, sure that it was a sore subject.

Changing into a milder topic, Kiera forced on a smile and proceeded to tell him about her travels with her grandmother, Athena. Telling about the different sightseeing of the famous countries. Big Ben in her own country. The Pyramids in Egypt. The Eiffel Tower in France. Colosseum in Italy. There were many places to tell about, the history, the culture. And Legolas could once more admire the eagerness Kiera had to tell of her world’s beauty. Many of those, she had drawn as she saw them, having brought her sketchbook around the world to keep a memory of each place she had seen.

At the thought of the conversation, Kiera finished the drawing she had been working on of Miriel, Castien’s sister. She apparently had been appointed to be her personal maid of a sort since it always was her to help, and the drawing was of her currently folding some new clothes on her bed.

She flipped through the book, finding the drawings of the famous landmarks, and she stopped at the one of the Eiffel Tower. Her eyes fell on the form of a man laughing, his eyes smiling at her as she had drawn him.

_Alain._

She missed him. It was years since she had seen him, and they hadn’t been together for long. Only the short month where Athena and she had visited Paris, and Kiera had met him there, at the Eiffel Tower a summer night where the stars shone brightest.

But he was there, and she was not.

When she had returned home, determined to ask her father to move to France or let him move to England, he had shot it down immediately and told her such a thing could never happen. He had parted them, broken them, and made sure their relationship perished for both of them to see. Never had she cried as much as she did those months following their split. Her heart had been shattered, physically paining her. Her eyes had reddened for days, dried after shedding tears constantly. Her body had grown weak after barely moving and eating for just as long. She had kept herself to her room, never wanting to leave it again.

She had been young. Nothing but sixteen, so of course such had been an overreaction. That’s what she had told herself, to move on. It could never be. And to have had the idea of being with him was stupid of her. Yet she still missed him, four years later, and still he haunted her dreams once in a while with his smile and his laugh.

Closing the book, Kiera looked up at Miriel and smiled, resolute to think of something else. “So how are you doing? Can I help?” She asked, wondering if a maid ever received such.

Miriel shook her head and smiled back, oblivious to the many thoughts that had crossed Kiera’s mind. “No, my lady, I am fine. Can I get you anything? Would you like some food or something to drink?” She asked and folded her hands in front of her after having finished with the garments.

Kiera shook her head in return. “No thank you, I’m go—“she started, but got interrupted as Castien barged into her chambers, seemingly having ran faster than the wind as he breathed hard and almost stumbled into Miriel.

“Muinthel! Valar save me!” He pleaded, and both Kiera and his sister frowned. “What’s up, Cas?” Kiera asked, and the guard frowned as well, confused by her unusual speech.

He sucked in a breath and grasped Miriel’s gown, looking almost desperate. “She’s going to kill me, sister! I’ll lose my position!” He said and whimpered slightly in his distress.

Kiera arched a brow and walked up to him, grasping his shoulder with a hand. “What did you do and why did you do it without me?” She asked, resisting a smirk at him.

Castien ran a hand through his hair and started pacing the room. “Okay, first, I missed my watch. I forgot that I was on duty at the borders yesterday, after having drunk some wine with my fellow guards in the common room until I was well past drunk.” He explained, rubbing his forehead. “She threatened to give me kitchen duty for a month. And then today, I’ve had duty in the dungeons, but fell asleep for hours!” He groaned and flopped down on the chair at Kiera’s desk, burying his face in his hands.

Miriel sighed, annoyed by her brother’s stupidity, while Kiera nearly laughed out loud. “Okay, first off,” the woman started and crossed her arms as she looked at him. “Who is ‘she’?”

Castien looked up at her and threw his hands in the air as if she should’ve known all along. “Captain Tauriel! Eru, what if she tells the king? I’m doomed, Kiera!” He let out a deep sigh and she rolled her eyes at his dramatic behavior.

“Okay, let’s take things a little easy, shall we?” She asked and squatted down in front of him, folding her hands with her elbows propped onto her knees. She hadn’t heard anything about Tauriel’s presence in this realm, and it surprised her to know that she indeed was here. Legolas hadn’t mentioned her a single time, which only made her question what he told her and what he didn’t, for she knew that in the movies they were very close friends. “I’m sure Tauriel won’t say it to the king and she hopefully won’t take away your position. Just breathe, my friend.” She chuckled, knowing that he was always one to worry far more than he needed.

Miriel grumbled, giving Kiera a glare at the absence of scolding and slapped her brother lightly over the head. “You’re supposed to think, toron!” She growled, irritated that he wasn’t more careful when on duty. “I can’t feed us both with only my job.”

Kiera arched a brow at Miriel, never having thought about how their financial system worked. “He’ll be fine, Miriel. Don’t worry. Just breathe you two, I’m sure everything is gonna turn out alright.” She waved a dismissive hand in the air and got up. “But why are you here now, then?” She asked, suddenly wondering if he was still on duty.

Castien froze in his seat, staring at her. “Lord.” He mumbled and jumped up, running out of the room to return to the duties he had left.

Kiera burst out laughing and watched as Miriel nearly screamed in frustration, more than angry enough over his mistakes. Kiera was now the one to slap Miriel, simply gentle on the shoulder, and she chuckled quietly.

“Come on, let’s go get dinner and hope he survives the night.” She laughed, dragging the maid along without caring if both were allowed or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it! Feel free to comment and leave kudos. Thank you so much and I'll see you next time.


	6. A Joy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiera talks with Miriel and then another one appears, not to forget the tension between Thranduil and Kiera.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I really hope you're enjoying the story so far, just wanted to apologize for the late update, I've had a horrible writer's block for about a month so I've struggled to get down the chapter, but here it is and I hope you like it! Feel free to leave kudos and comments, feedback is what I live off of;) Stay tuned for more adventures, because now it starts to get interesting...

Kiera arched a brow as she looked up from a book, sitting on the plush bench in her window as she watched Miriel move around the room while she worked like always. Something was different about her, and she wondered what could be wrong. The maid rushed around with quick steps, darting from one side of the room to the other as she dusted off tables and laid out the little clothes that Kiera had been provided with, despite that she had gotten more over the months.

Miriel nearly slammed the stack of clothes onto her desk before she roughly pushed in the chair, continuing her work in a rush and Kiera’s eyebrow rose further towards her hairline. This was something she had never encountered with the maid-turned-friend.

“Care to explain what bothers you, my friend?” She asked, taking a sip of wine from the glass that had been standing on her windowsill as she watched Miriel nearly rip out the drawers as she cleaned them inside.

The maid barely glanced up before focusing back at her work. “Nothing is wrong, I’m fine, my lady. Just a bit busy.” She explained bluntly, swallowing hard to keep her voice and anger under control before she did something she would regret.

Kiera arched her other brow and set aside the glass, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her knees. “I’m sure my drawers and my clothes are busy being ripped apart from the anger you’re holding in as well.” She said, putting Miriel on the spot as she closed the book and moved to plop down on her bed instead. Patting the quilt gently, she gestured for her friend to join her. “Sit and speak your mind.”

Miriel sighed, annoyed by herself that she had to burden her mistress with personal problems just because she couldn’t hide her frustrations. It wasn’t right. However, she evened out the slightly crumbled fabric of her maid uniform and hesitantly turned, walking to the bed as she sat on the edge and focused her eyes on her hands. “I’m frustrated.”

“And why is that?” Kiera asked.

“Castien doesn’t think. He acts without thought sometimes.” Miriel explained with a sigh, scratching the inside of her thumb out of habit when she was nervous.

Kiera frowned and laid her hand on Miriel‘s to catch her attention, noticing the obvious discomfort she felt. “You don’t have to be anxious in my company. You can come to me when something is on your mind. What did Castien do wrong?” She asked and retracted her hand to give her friend some space.

Throughout the months, she had come to know Miriel rather well as a friend despite that she still felt distance between them. She knew Castien was a century or two older than Miriel, but still the sister acted like the more mature in the family. Born in the middle of winter, she had always been an intelligent young elleth who was kind to everyone. Often when she was off duty, Kiera had found her in the halls among other elven friends where she played the fiddle in the dark nights or sang songs in the early mornings. She had a peaceful demeanor and reminded Kiera of a deer jumping through a spring field, unaware of the dangers around it.

Whenever Castien and the woman started talking about fighting techniques or guard posts, Miriel disappeared to spend time with herself or help in the kitchens when it was needed. She was an elf who knew every corner of the palace and everyone in it, making it efficient for Kiera to understand how to get around within her new home, discover new places or know where to go depending on what she needed. She was different, yet still reminded Kiera of a particular friend from Earth who she hadn’t seen in at least a few years. If Miriel and Emma ever met, she knew they would get along very well, and the mere thought made her smile softly.

“The captain found out.” Miriel revealed, pulling Kiera out of her thoughts and she blinked to get back to reality. “He was stupid enough to drink before duty, then fall asleep on a watch!” The maid groaned and threw her hand out as she got up and started pacing the room just like Castien had done, a sharing trait they had.

Kiera leaned back against the headboard of her bed and watched her pace, knowing she couldn’t stop her. “What punishment did he get?” She asked and Miriel let out another frustrated sigh as she stopped at the end of the bed.

“He’s getting kitchen duties for at least a month, and if he makes trouble there or doesn’t do his job right, it can be even longer, or he’ll be imprisoned!” She cried, nearly pulling her hair out as she was in clear distress, worry evident on her facial features and her eyes glistening with threatening tears.

“Hey now, let’s all take a breather for a hot sec, thanks very much.” Kiera said and held up her hands to calm her down, but it hardly helped. Miriel seemed to have worried about it for at least or day or two and had driven herself into a fit of anxiety by the thought of her brother in a cell. “He can hardly be imprisoned for not doing his job right... right?” Kiera continued, now questioning her own knowledge as she thought of how strict the Wood-Elves could be.

“This is Mirkwood, my lady. This is Captain Tauriel!” Miriel whimpered and restarted her pacing as she thought of what could happen to Castien.

Kiera sighed and rolled her eyes at the idea of Castien messing up again, pushing aside the fact that it most likely would happen. “Well, it’s his own fault if it happens. He might do mistakes, but as far as I know, he’s not stupid. He won’t fool around if he knows the consequences for it.”

“Yet he fooled around when he knew he could lose his position if he didn’t do his duty as a guard.” Miriel argued and placed her hands on her hips as she looked at Kiera, making her shrug against the headboard.

“And now he tried it. If he knows the act of one consequence, then he won’t try it again. Trust me, I know.” She grumbled and got off the bed, throwing a few coins into Miriel’s hand from the dresser. “Take the day off, go buy a dress or whatever you prefer and ask in the kitchens if they have any bread that they can spare. Get your mind off things, I know you need it.” Kiera said as she looked herself over in the mirror and Miriel silently admitted that she was right. “Relax and stop worrying about your brother for a moment. Focus on yourself, mellon.” She gave a warm smile at the elf who barely noticed the foreign accent in the elven word as the woman spoke, and Kiera went for the door as she looked back at Miriel.

“If the King manages to find you and ask for me, I’m sure he’ll figure out another way to get to me. Tell him I’ve given you time off, we all need such a day once in a while. Meanwhile, I’m gonna go search for his son and see if he has other adventures for me unless he’s busy playing Tarzan. Toodles!” Kiera waved goodbye and walked out the door, leaving behind a puzzled Miriel as she watched her go so hastily. Giggling slightly, she shrugged and counted the coins she had been gifted, looking around the room to see if she was done. Seeing that she was, she smiled and ran out the room to do as Kiera had said.

The woman at the other end of the corridor now fully ignored the stoic silent guard who caught up to her like a shadow, hearing only the hurried steps of Miriel far behind her who was going the other direction. The quiet sound of birds chirping and water running through the cavernous halls sang in her ears as she went towards the broader areas in search of the prince, and she wondered when she would be able to leave without a soldier stepping on her heels.

———

Kiera laughed out loud in merry, something she hadn’t done in quite some time as Legolas explained the cleaning of a restroom’s dirtier areas. He seemed quite entertained by the idea as well and smiled along, keeping a hand on his bow around his torso to keep it in place. They were walking through the gardens, catching up on another one of their conversations that they usually had occasionally when he wasn’t busy on patrols, practicing at the training grounds or doing duties as Prince of Mirkwood.

Over the months they had become very good friends, or so Kiera liked to think, and they often spent their time in the library where he would teach her Sindarin, the gardens where they enjoyed the nature, the dining hall at a lunch or sometimes at the grounds where Kiera watched him practice. He was as great with a bow as they had said he was in the books. What he did in the movies could hardly be considered as good as what she saw with her own eyes. His reflexes were swift and precise, and he could fire arrows faster than the strike of lightning. She had never seen anything like it.

Legolas, who had slowly started to open up to Kiera and greeted her to their home rather than keep her in the dark, was still skeptical of her trust. When he sometimes asked questions about her life and home, she would dodge them with another in response. He knew that she thought he hadn’t noticed and that she was gaining his trust, and a part of him felt like she was, but the continuous absence of an answer for his questions held him back from trusting her completely. Something was wrong, and she wasn’t telling.

“So, if I told you that the toilets in fact clean themselves in my world, would you be surprised?” Kiera asked and moved to walk in front of him but turned so she was walking backwards.

Legolas raised an eyebrow and couldn’t hold in a chuckle. “Why, I would certainly be intrigued. How does that work?” He asked and looked at her curiously with a glint in his eye.

Kiera smirked and shrugged. “To be honest, I’m not sure how the system works, but we just have to press a button and it runs out through a pipe and down to the sewers.” She explained, and Legolas smirked as he had learned something new about a distant world, nevertheless unpleasant. He was sure that eventually he would regret knowing it, but it was rather funny after all.

“That sounds very interesting.” He said jokingly and turned down a beautiful path that had a canopy of tree tops hanging over it as a roof, casting a shade down onto them both as the branches blocked out the sunlight. Kiera fell in to walk beside him again and looked forward to admire the pretty garden. It was different and gave her a sense of peace and quiet. It had clearly been tended to with love and care, not to mention the hard work to make it all look so beautiful throughout the seasons. Fall was starting to show, the leaves still green and blossoming, but the edges were slowly turning brown and the wind had grown colder and harder, while the sun gradually began to set earlier and rise later.

“Can you te—“ Legolas started his next question but stopped as he suddenly heard the sound of ruffling in the bushes. Kiera heard the same and they halted, looking around to find the source.

“A bunny?” Kiera asked, and Legolas shook his head in response.

“No, they’re lighter on foot.”

“A deer then?”

“I would’ve found such long ago.”

Kiera rolled her eyes then, realizing that he was showing off his abilities in his answer. “Alright, Leggy.” She said, and he shot her a glance that only asked a question of authority. “ _Prince_ Leggy.” She corrected, and he nodded with a slight smile. “What is it then?” She asked, and his eyes scanned their surroundings.

Kiera turned and looked too, waiting to find an answer. If it wasn’t a bunny and neither a deer, what then? A dog?

Suddenly, a tiny hairy creature jumped out from a bush and Legolas pulled his bow, nocking in an arrow by the unfamiliar animal. “A monster.” He declared, and Kiera’s eyes widened by the sight of the small thing.

“Hey, hey, hey!” She exclaimed and jumped out in front of the arrow, making Legolas frown angrily at her. “Excuse you for a damn second, Prince Charming!” She continued and held up her hands to stop him. He looked confused at her and pulled back slightly with the weapon, trying not to stab her in the eye with the sharp head of the arrow.

“I have never seen such a thing as that, it is foreign and therefore a threat to us.” He said and pulled the string further back.

Kiera arched a brow and grabbed the shaft of the arrow then threw it away, knowing that he could just load another. Legolas nearly growled at Kiera’s carelessness when she held up a hand and glared back at him. “I swear to Jesus and his twelve disciples, Legolas, let me fucking speak!” She hissed and turned back around to face the animal.

It was currently occupied with nibbling at an acorn, trying to break through the hard shell. When it saw the two stand mere feet from it, it first looked at Legolas with the weapon in hand and then Kiera who snapped all her fingers like a wave of sound.

The creature’s ear twitched from the familiar noise and let go of the acorn, crawling closer as it sniffed the air. It seemed to find something special about the woman and chattered quietly. Kiera frowned as she looked it over. She had no idea what it did here but now she was even more suspicious of herself being here.

Kiera looked back at Legolas who skeptically eyed the animal as it started to climb up Kiera’s leg. “This,” she started and pointed down at the exotic creature. “Is Mojo. He’s my monkey.” She explained and nuzzled his chest as he reached her shoulder, perched there proudly like he had been for many years.

Legolas’ brow furrowed in confusion and he pulled his bow back around his torso as he stared from Kiera to the animal. “What is a monkey?” He asked, perplexed.

A surprised eyebrow raised on Kiera’s face, as she thought back to what she knew of Tolkien’s world. It seemed they didn’t have such here. “This is a monkey.” She answered and gestured to Mojo with a smirk, then looked at the said animal.

She had little idea of how he was able to be there. How had he arrived in Middle Earth? Why was he in Middle Earth? She hadn’t seen him in years and had thought him to have found another life after a while, maybe having been picked up by another person to be cared for. It was like the sketchbook. Both from Earth, suddenly here with her. Neither were they random, but they had a relation to her. It puzzled her, and she didn’t know how to find answers.

“He is my childhood pet and friend, harmless, of course... I’m unsure of how he could’ve ended up here.” She mumbled and scratched the monkey behind his ear.

“Perhaps he followed you.” A deep voice said, and Kiera nearly whipped around to see Thranduil approaching between the trees with a great grey robe and his staff while his hair cascaded down his back in long soft and silken locks. Kiera tensed her jaw automatically and watched him approach, scanning Mojo suspiciously. “He could have come from your home and continued all the way from there to here, where you are.” He said and met Kiera’s gaze, telling her that the story of her origin was hardly believed by the king at the moment.

“Where do you think he came from?” Thranduil asked and looked Kiera in the eyes with a near cold glare. Legolas stood beside them, looking from father to woman as he felt the sudden tension that had emerged along with the king’s arrival.

Kiera arched a brow at him and stopped petting Mojo, making him chatter quietly but she ignored it. “I do believe I told your son already, Your Majesty. _I am not sure._ ” She said, almost offended that he didn’t trust the true story she had told.

Thranduil eyed Mojo, narrowing his eyes at the curious animal before glaring at Kiera at her obnoxiousness. “And what are you going to do with him?” He asked, wondering if she was going to leave him there or dare to ask about keeping him.

“Well,” Kiera said and forced on a kind smile, holding the king’s cold gaze. “I thought to ask you if you’d allow me to keep him.” She answered, confirming one of the two wonders that Thranduil had had. She didn’t want to send away her old friend, her pet, that she had had since she was a young child and now she wanted to know how he was even here to begin with.

“And if I didn’t allow you?” The king continued, and Legolas frowned in confusion beside him. He couldn’t see why she couldn’t keep her animal with her if it was harmless.

“Father—“ He started, but Thranduil stopped him with the wave of a hand, keeping his eyes on the woman in front of him.

“If I didn’t allow you to keep that creature, what then?” He asked again, and he could see how Kiera’s jaw tensed and the cogs in her head churned as she thought of an answer that wouldn’t offend him too much.

“I must ask you that question.” She replied and cocked her head to the side. “What then?” She crossed her arms and Mojo shifted slightly on her shoulder, murmuring in protest from the movement. “Would you send me along with him and never see me again?”

Thranduil looked at her with great suspicion, trying to figure her out. She looked at him with calm composure and it frustrated him to no end that she always seemed to be uncaring of what he said or did. He wasn’t used to it. A man would crumple to the ground just by his cold eyes, but she looked back at him with just the same glare and stood taller than before. She was different and it both annoyed and intrigued him.

“Good question.” He answered and then turned, taking his leave and strolling out the garden with his staff and his robes flicking over the ground.

Kiera looked after him coldly and felt Mojo tap her head gently, chattering again. Legolas looked from his departing father to the monkey and to the woman, furrowed brow upon his face. Kiera locked eyes with him and shrugged, reaching up a hand to help Mojo down on the ground again. “I take that was permission to keep him.” She mumbled as the monkey jumped over the grass towards the palace, and she let out a sharp sigh then started walking back as well, Legolas following close behind.

He knew things were happening and he had a feeling within him that Kiera was aware of what they were. Little did he know that Kiera hardly had an idea of what exactly that was, yet somehow, she knew more than they both did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Hope you enjoyed! I'm happy if you liked it and I'm sorry if you didn't. Any questions or thoughts? Comment below and I'll gladly answer your wonders. See y'all until next time!


	7. A Shadow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thranduil and Legolas *finally* get just a few answers, but one of them might regret it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI! I'm back quick huh? I'm super excited about this chapter so I hope you enjoy!

In the great hall, where many elves were eating their well-deserved lunch while enjoying some time with their friends, Kiera was merely picking at her food as she stared at the cold carrot on her plate. She had little appetite at the time being and she struggled to get down the simple vegetables and fruits.

The king had offered her a seat at his table and she had kindly accepted, sitting with him, Legolas and Castien, among other elves she had yet know the names of. She didn’t know why Thranduil had chosen to give her a place at his table, because he never had, and now things suddenly changed. Their encounter in the gardens a day before had been rather tense like their interactions always seemed to be, but now he was being nice and welcoming. It made Kiera suspicious and she hardly trusted the king more for it. She didn’t like fake people and if he was one, then she didn’t want to be here much longer. But she was friendly and kept a pleasant demeanor, wishing to show Thranduil and his people that she wasn’t a treat.

A few elves at the table were loudly talking about a report the last patrol had come in with, debating how many spiders had been killed and if they had retreated or had come closer.

“The last time I was out with my patrol, they had pulled further north and we were having trouble clearing out the western area. They must be close now.” One elf said, who appeared to be a general, gulping down a goblet of wine without much shame.

The two other elves who were part of the discussion objected and proceeded to explain how it had been rumored that the newly returned patrol had cleared the nearest nests and the spiders were retreating.

Meanwhile, Castien and Legolas were in deep conversation as they sat on the other side of Kiera, talking about sparring later on the day and if it would be possible for the prince to train some soldiers in the process. “According to the captain, some of the archers need to improve their precision and their sword skills could be better.” Castien explained and Legolas nodded, telling the younger guard that he would train them unless something else came in the way.

Thranduil, who sat beside Kiera at the end of the table, was observing her and her gentle fork stabbing. He had kept his eyes on her throughout the whole meal and barely ate anything himself as he wondered how she would act this day. “Is something wrong with the food, Kiera?” He asked, and she looked up.

“No.” She admitted.

“Then what is the problem?” He continued coldly and arched a brow.

Kiera laid down her fork and placed her hands flat on the table as she leaned forward, looking straight at him. “It’s Mojo. He’s hungry and hasn’t been able to get any food.”

“But we can’t have that.” The king said impassively, sipping his wine as if he didn’t care in the least.

“I usually feed him when I eat, but I would not disrespect you by letting him sit at the table.” She explained honestly, surprising Thranduil. She cared about respect towards him? That was a first in his opinion.

“I see.” He nodded, looking deep in thought. He hadn’t seen much of the monkey since the day before and neither of her, but there was a reason why he had invited her to his table. “Well, as long as he behaves and is clean and it _stays_ that way, then it should be fine.” He answered begrudgingly, contemplating if he made the right choice.

“He definitely will. I’ve raised him that way. Thank you, Your Majesty.” She smiled and leaned back, looking at the entrance at the other end of the hall. “You can come now, Mojo.” She declared loudly and turned to eat her food, much easier now that that was off her mind.

Despite the loud talking in the hall, it quickly lessened to quiet voices when everyone saw the small animal run down in between the tables. He glanced up at all the faces that looked surprised at him, but only focused on the person at the last table. However, Kiera just reached a hand down to the ground behind her without looking away from her food, patiently waiting for him. Mojo stepped up on the hand and jumped up on her back, resting on her shoulder with his hand around her neck and his tail trailing down her spine.

“Hands.” Kiera said bluntly, and both small limbs came down in front of her face. She inspected them, silently approved and handed him a grape, which he took and started gnawing on.

Everyone looked at her.

She glanced up.

The king arched a brow and everyone at their table had stopped talking.

“What? He needs to have clean hands.” She said and gave the monkey the small carrot she had pierced after the grape was gone. He gratefully took it and started eating that too.

Thranduil nodded and his usual mask of indifference came back to play on his face as everyone returned to their conversations. Castien looked hesitantly at Mojo, seemingly debating if he should keep quiet or say something. Eventually, he chose the latter.

“I have never seen such a creature in my life.”

“That is because it apparently doesn’t exist in your world.” Kiera explained, flashing a smile as she handed Mojo another grape. “You see, Mojo is a capuchin monkey. They are considered one of the most intelligent kinds of the monkey species and are often kept as pets, like he is. I’ve had him for most of my life and he’s very obedient, which I greatly appreciate. In the most distant of ways, he is related to humans.”

“Pardon?” Thranduil intervened. “Are you implying that this animal is your family?”

“Not exactly.” Kiera shook her head. “When the humans first appeared about five million years ago, they had earlier been apes - monkeys. Eventually, they split from the ape race. One later became Homo Sapiens, my human race. The other became the monkeys.” She shrugged like it was common knowledge even for other worlds and pierced a strawberry before eating it.

“Interesting.” Thranduil said and Castien looked completely flabbergasted, staring from Kiera to Mojo and back.

Kiera laughed. “Do you wanna try and have him on your shoulder? He’s not gonna hurt you.” She assured him quickly as he started shaking his head violently.

She gave the monkey a last grape and beckoned Castien with a quick wave of the hand. “Give me your hand and straighten your arm.”

Castien looked like he would rather fight an orc.

He desperately wanted to walk away and drag the prince along to have support, but hesitantly, he reached over the table with his right hand and Kiera grabbed it with her left. She straightened her arm as he did, holding back a smirk by his obvious nervousness.

She clicked with her tongue and Mojo used the arms as a bridge, walking from Kiera to Castien and settled against his retreating head.

“Aaaaahhhh!” He blurted and ducked to avoid the monkey’s hands that tried to grab his hair.

“Sit still!” Kiera laughed, and he froze. “He’s just trying to hold on.” She giggled, and he closed his eyes when Mojo finally got a hold of the hair strands on the top of his head.

Castien peaked at him out of the corner of his eye, unsure if he was going to be killed the next instant.

Kiera had to hide her grin to prevent giggling too hard as this was something very entertaining in her eyes.

He nuzzled the monkey on the head and back, and the little creature leaned into his hand, enjoying the petting. Mojo straightened and chattered with a hand hitting his own chest, then led it up to his mouth.

“He’s asking for food.” Kiera explained after Castien frowned slightly.

“I can feed him.” The guard admitted and Kiera near laughed out loud at the fact that only half a minute prior, he was screaming in terror.

“Yeah, just give him a grape and pass him on to the dear prince.”

Legolas’ head whipped up. “What?!”

Kiera broke out in a fit of laughter. “Unless you would prefer that he returned to me.” She suggested and Castien pouted.

“I had just started to actually like him.” He confessed as he handed the monkey a grape as told. “What did you say his name was again? Milo?”

“Mojo.” She repeated with an arched brow, almost hurt that he had forgotten his name already but set it aside as new acquaintance problems as he nodded.

Thranduil leaned forward in his seat. “I would like to try.” He said and Castien immediately looked disappointed, reluctant to give away his new friend. Kiera looked at the king with some disapproval, finding it annoying that he hadn’t asked her first. Nevertheless, Castien took the king’s extended arm and Mojo walked over, sitting on Thranduil’s shoulder with his dark eyes shining. Mojo did the same gesture to him as he had done to Castien, tapping his chest before pointing at his mouth.

Thranduil obliged and gave him another grape, watching the monkey with both fascination and caution. When Mojo had eaten the fruit, he repeated the motion.

Kiera clicked twice with her tongue and Mojo looked at her. She shook her head. “No, you’ve had enough.” She told him, and he turned to play with the king’s hair instead.

To Kiera and everyone else at the table’s surprise, Thranduil didn’t object and let him have fun with it.

Kiera’s eyebrow twitched and looked at her plate, realizing her cutlery wasn’t showing she was finished. She laid it as so and then gazed up at the king, who was back to observing her.

“Well, thank you for letting me enjoy lunch with you, but I would like to return to my quarters.” She said and leaned forward, taking his hand without much thought. Thranduil near glared at her but kept it to a cold gaze as he watched her suspiciously.

“Did I give you permission to touch my person?” He asked calmly, and Kiera chuckled quietly then slid her hand up to have her hand holding his forearm beneath the robe, feeling the heat from his body wrap around her hand while her palm brushed against his soft skin. Thranduil looked both furious and shocked, all mixed together with his cold composure as he stared at her behind his calm mask.

“Did I give you permission to touch my monkey?” She asked in a whisper as Mojo jumped from his shoulder and back to his owner. Kiera slipped her hand out and away from his grasp, hit by a cold breeze after being enveloped in the warmth of his sleeve, and she got up from her seat before he could reply.

Then she turned and walked out with the king and the rest of the dining hall looking after her.

———

Thranduil was observing the training grounds, standing at the corner of the entrance with Galion at his side, while Legolas trained some archers how to shoot longer and more precise, just like he had told Castien he would earlier on in the day. Galion was telling of a meeting the king had later that day, mumbling on about what was planned to be discussed and all the letters from his people that he was expected to answer before the sun set.

But Thranduil paid him no mind. He was focusing on Kiera, who stood at a table with a bow and arrows, testing the bowstring and the arrows’ quality. At her hips hung two daggers she had burrowed along with the bow while she fiddled with the weapons on the table, studying every inch of them in curiosity of their unique style.

Since she had arrived, the king had pondered much of who she was and why she was here, never finding an answer. He couldn’t figure her out and it frustrated him. She was kind and showed his people respect from what he had seen and heard in the whispering corners of his palace, not to mention the friendship she has forged with his son. He didn’t trust her, and he knew Legolas shouldn’t either, yet did, but he was skeptical of what was real or not. Why was she here and why was she acting as she did? She had showed him respect and kindness as late as a few hours ago, apart from the incident at her departure, yet managed to offend him and subtly disobey what he wanted. If he asked questions, she would slither around them like a snake and never give him a straight answer. He knew she was keeping something from him and he couldn’t find out what.

His mind drifted back to their conversation in the cellars, the first time they sat down and spoke one to another. They had conversed of their identities, of who they were depending on moods and he wondered what exactly she was, in situations like they had talked about. He quickly realized that she had given him the answer the same evening: A shadow. Was she who she said she were? Was her name Kiera? Was she from Earth? Did she know why she was here? All these questions circled Thranduil’s mind and he wished for answers more than ever. Her comment of her own anger had made him ponder for endless nights as well. How was she when she was angry and why did she hope he never saw it happen?

Thranduil dismissed Galion with the whisper of a command and called Legolas over by the wave of his hand as they locked eyes, an idea flickering with light as he watched Kiera again.

Legolas noticed the king observing the grounds and saw the silent summon for him. He looked to the archer he had advised and gave him a nod, then turned around and walked up to his father. “Yes, ada?”

“You see Kiera?” Thranduil asked, gesturing to her with a nod as he kept his eyes on her with skepticism raging in the ice blue depths of them.

“Yes, she asked if I would allow her to practice and she is about to get started.” Legolas replied, watching her as well.

“Does she know how to handle a bow?” Thranduil arched a brow, eyeing the way she held the bow.

“It looks like it.” Legolas answered in a mumble.

“That may be, son, but perhaps she doesn’t.” The king argued and resisted a sigh.

“Perhaps.”

Thranduil looked at him like only a king could. “Don’t let her practice.”

“What? Why not?” Legolas frowned, looking at his father in confusion. He didn’t see what was wrong with that.

“Make her angry.” He ordered, and his son looked at him with surprise.

“Pardon me, father?”

“You heard me, ion. Provoke her, make her furious. It would perhaps reveal a side of her she hasn’t yet shown and tell if she is a skilled archer or merely a beginner. Let her practice and she might show less than what she is capable of, if that is the case.” He explained, and Legolas grumbled.

“She is a friend, father...” he argued but Thranduil looked at him sternly.

“She is a stranger and you are wrong in trusting her.”

“I don’t trust her!” He protested with a hint of offense in his voice, but he knows it wasn’t completely true.

“Don’t lie to me, Legolas!” Thranduil shot back in between gritted teeth, annoyed by his stubbornness. “I know you’ve gotten on better terms with her and I expected better of you not to trust someone who doesn’t show it.”

“She shows trust... but we both know that she’s hiding something.” The prince sighed and looked down at Kiera, feeling bad that he deliberately was to anger her and risk ruining the friendship they had built. He didn’t wish to, and he debated if he should disobey his father. But he wished for answers like his father and according to him, this might be a way to find them.

“Tell her to let go of the shadow.” Thranduil ordered, ignoring his son’s last words and left him to approach the woman while he stayed at the opening, watching closely in the shade.

Kiera was putting arrows in a quiver when Legolas came up beside her.

“Good afternoon, Kiera.” He started and flashed a short smile as his mind rushed over ideas of angering her, each of them he didn’t like.

“Hello, Legolas.” Kiera greeted and smiled in return, barely noticing the tense posture the prince had as she moved to tighten the string on her bow.

“You’re doing it wrong.” Legolas lied as a start, taking the bow from her and did just the same she had.

Kiera scoffed a laugh and took back the bow. “No, I’m not.” She replied and frowned at him, slightly confused at his demeanor.

“Do you know how to use a bow?” He asked and looked at her in fake disbelief.

“Yes, I do in fact, thank you very much.” Kiera answered, slightly offended by the accusing tone in his voice and she could see that he didn’t think she could as much as lift the weapon properly.

“Are you sure, darling?” He quipped, kicking himself for saying every mocking word.

Kiera looked at him with an arched brow, feeling the offense build. “Yes, I am.”

“Do you need any help?” He asked, offering a genuine hand.

“No.” Kiera said bluntly and batted away his hand like she didn’t care.

“Are you sure?” He taunted further, skillfully hiding his discomfort of the situation.

“ _Yes.”_ She narrowed her eyes but turned and walked up to the mark for archers to stand, laid the first arrow on the string and left the prince to watch as she aimed for the target.

“Let go of the shadow.” Legolas quickly said, repeating his father.

Kiera’s head shot up and she stared at him, thinking through why he was all of a sudden acting like this rather than the friendly prince he always was. “No.”

“Why? Are you scared?” He boldly dared, taking a step closer as he clenched his fists discreetly with a mocking smirk playing on his lips.

Kiera lowered her weapon and marched up to him, smashing a finger to his chest. “If I was scared, I would be scared for _your_ sake and everyone else’s. I refuse to let her take control.”

“Why?” He asked again, narrowing his eyes at her and ignoring the guilt as his own curiosity drowned it out.

“Do you have a death wish, Prince?” Kiera hissed and glared into his eyes, wondering where he even heard of her.

“No.” He answered calmly.

“Then I suggest you leave me alone and stop asking questions.” She almost growled and let out a huff through her nostrils.

“Why should I?” He proceeded.

“Because I don’t want to hurt you!” She yelled, slapping him on the arm and the nearest elves turned in surprise.

Legolas didn’t think any of it other than he rather deserved it. To his right, out of the corner of his eye, he saw his father step out from the opening with his arms crossed in front of his chest, slowly approaching.

He continued as he held his breath from showing how he truly felt about the situation he had put himself in. “Why don’t you want _her_ to get out? Isn’t it you?”

“I’m not the same. Don’t do this.” She requested.

“Really?” He asked.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I choose not to.” She revealed.

“Why?” He proceeded.

“ _Because_. Now get lost, Legolas.” Kiera rolled her eyes and tensed her jaw in frustration.

“No.” He objected, wishing that he could do as she said but needing to know more.

“Then stay and watch.” She grumbled and turned the bow in her hand.

“Watch what? You missing the target every time?” He teased hesitantly and stepped closer to make her uncomfortable.

“Depends on if you leave.” She sneered and shot him a glare, sharp enough to make him stop.

“And if I leave?”

“Then I’m the happiest woman in the realm.” She admitted and kept her fists closed tight in annoyance.

“You _are_ the only woman in the realm.” Legolas observed.

“I noticed.”

“Isn’t it sad to be all alone? To have no one you know?” He asked, and Kiera looked at him with such a suspicious expression that Legolas wondered if she saw through him.

“I’m not alone. I have you here.” She answered and gripped her bow, feeling the smooth wood resist beneath her palm.

“So, you want me here?” Legolas asked, continuing his spree.

“No, but since you insist on staying, I can’t do much can I?!” She snapped and threw her free hand in the air, finally having had enough of his teasing.

“I don’t insist.”

“If you don’t wish to be here then bugger off and stop asking for things!” She yelled and felt her blood starting to boil.

“Only if you let go.”

“Absolutely not.” She scowled and turned back around to practice again before she would punch him in the face, loading the arrow and aiming at the red dot so very far away.

“Does it take a beating to make you angry?” He inquired mockingly, grasping for anything left in the air that would work as he too grew tired of small games, his guilt poking at his heart as his want for answers had washed over him. He hesitated for a second and looked up in the sky, wondering if he should say what he did next. “Is that what your father did?”

As fast as lighting, Kiera turned her aim from the target to Legolas and shot him in the calf, the arrow going straight through and staying put in his leg. He shouted a groan and fell on one knee, not having expected her sudden attack as his eyes moved from the clouds to the woman. He looked Kiera in the eyes. They had darkened to a deep ocean blue, clouded with a flaming rage.

She loaded a second arrow and aimed it at his head. “ _I can kill you faster than you were meant to be.”_ She hissed, her voice raspy and cold, far from her normal speech.

“A skilled archer then.” Legolas declared through clenched teeth, feeling the pain wrap up around his leg.

“ _How dare you._ ” She snarled and pulled the arrow on the string further back, only focusing on the prince before her.

“Yes, how.” Legolas huffed and angrily glanced at his father out of the corner of his eye while all trust that had ever been built towards Kiera crumbled like an old cliff clashing into the sea. This was who she was then: A threat.

“ _You have no right.”_ She spat, infuriated that he had said what he did.

“I have every right to know who you are _.”_ He shot back as multiple elves came to aid, a few coming up behind her and ripping the weapon from her as they pulled her down on her knees and locked her arms behind her back.

The king had rushed forward and now stood in front of her, glaring down at her as he grabbed her collar and shook her. “What are you?!” He inquired, his icy gaze shooting daggers at her ocean blue.

“ _Human.”_ She snarled with a smirk, nearly seeming indifferent of the submissive position she was in. She was different from who they had seen for months. She sounded and looked different but still they could see a hint of Kiera there, behind the dark eyes.

That was when Thranduil realized that she spoke the truth all those nights back. This was a shadow of herself, someone else. Someone who only knew anger and pain.

“Kiera!” He yelled angrily and shook her violently, having had enough of her alter ego. “Wake up!” He ordered, hoping that he was doing the right thing.

The darkness in her eyes wavered for a while and then returned to her normal aqua irises.

She furiously groaned and got up on her feet as the shadow of her retreated. “What did I tell you about me?!” She roared and pushed at the king, but he stood still as a rock. “I told you! She’s dangerous! I told you!”

She turned to Legolas who still kneeled with the arrow through his leg. “I’m sorry, Legolas. I told you. I’m sorry, but I told you. I told you...”

The prince forced a nod in response as two elves helped him up, wincing slightly from the weight on his leg. “I don’t know who you are.” He whispered and glared at the woman he thought was a trustworthy friend.

Thranduil pushed Kiera back towards the three guards and he scowled down at her. “You best leave and calm yourself, before I do it for you.”

“You did that to yourselves. Don’t guilt _me_ for something _you_ caused!” She spat as they dragged her back towards the palace. “ _You_ are to blame!”

Thranduil watched Kiera with cold eyes before turning back to his injured son, thinking over the whole incident that had just occurred.

Legolas was glaring at him just as much as he had glared at Kiera.

“If you had told me what that shadow was beforehand, I would have dealt with this in a safer way.” He said with great annoyance, hurt that he had to do what he did and feeling betrayed of who he had gotten to know. He wished he had a disobeyed his father and gone against him like he usually did, but curiosity and skepticism had gotten the better of him.

“If I had told you beforehand, it would have never worked.” Thranduil disagreed and wrapped an arm around his son’s shoulders as he himself helped the young elf towards the healing quarters. “But now we know what she is made of.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's that;)  
> Feel free to comment and leave kudos, and thank you!  
> Toodles, till next time:)


	8. A Mentor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thranduil demands answers and Kiera finds new challenges.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Holy mother of God, it's been waaaay too long. I'm so sorry for the long wait, I've been super busy in my personal life, returned home to my country and reunited with family, all that frizzle frazzle. I've been struggling a lot with this chapter so I hope you enjoy and then I plan to post more frequently than it has been since the last chapter XD

It nearly made Kiera jump when Thranduil slammed down a goblet on the table before her, sending her a furious glare in the process before he calmly sat down in his much larger chair. They were sitting at a long table in the throne room, illuminated only by a few candles with Kiera at one end while the King scowled at her from the other. It had been tense throughout the whole realm and only a few elves had yet to find out what had happened. Gossip spread like wildfire in Mirkwood and to Kiera’s dismay, it made it much worse for her situation.

This was the opposite of what she wanted. She wanted them to trust her, to let her in and know she was a friend. To keep her there as someone more than a human guest or a prisoner, someone they could find peace in. She had no desire to be elsewhere in Middle Earth. Mirkwood was a beautiful and fascinating realm that spoke volumes, others did not. Being somewhere without those trees and those cavenous halls would be a distant light of true excellence. But currently, the light in those halls had faded by the recent events.

“Do you have something to say for yourself?” Thranduil’s voice boomed to interrupt her thoughts, looking coldly back at Kiera who sat lounged back in her seat and picked absentmindedly at a splint of wood in the table. He was enraged that he not only had let such a careless woman have a weapon at hand but let her grow a friendship with Legolas and hurt him, his own son.

“You believe I was the cause of what happened?” Kiera asked bluntly, ripping out the splint and flicking it across the table to watch it land in a vase. She hadn’t been the one to trigger the rage she had gone through.

“You believe you’re not?!” Thranduil snapped in return, standing up from his seat to tower over her. “ _You_ were the one that shot my son out of anger.” He spat coldly, offended that she had the audacity to think otherwise after all she had done the prior day.

“And he was the reason why!” Kiera shot back, jumping out of the chair and slamming her fist down on the table. “Did you not see how he kept pushing at me?! How dare he ask about my father in such a manner!” she hissed, glaring back at Thranduil.

“How dare you not warn us of what was at stake!” The King snarled back, not hesitating to walk back and stand before her in his fury, denigrating her with his looming character. “ _You think you’re better than us._ You are nothing but a human, a stranger that I allowed to be in my realm.” He hissed down at her, gazing into her eyes to find a trace of fear. “Perhaps I made a mistake.”

Kiera tensed her jaw, glaring up at him and felt hurt by his words, almost as great as her rage. “If you think you made a mistake, then why don’t you reconsider your choices, Your Majesty?” She whispered coldly. “I warned your son to stop several times because I knew that my shadow never should see the light.” She explained, tempted to push him away and give her space but she wasn’t that stupid. “It’s a shamed part of me that I struggle to control, even though I want to.”

Thranduil was almost surprised that Kiera decided to tell him the truth but made sure it didn’t break through his features to expose his emotions. “You never told of a shadow that could hurt your hosts when you first arrived.” He argued in return. “You want me to trust a woman that hides a weapon behind her eyes?” he asked, quieter now as well as their faces were only inches apart. Kiera’s heart beat fast from the adrenaline of her anger and the proximity of Thranduil, but still she felt the tingle of something else that she didn’t yet understand. A beat not only loud in her chest but in her mind as well.

Kiera nearly scoffed and shook her head slightly to push away the sense of her heart, determined not to back down even as he lashed out at her in all aspects of the word. “I want you to trust those that give you reason enough to.” She replied and finally pushed past him, deciding that her time with Thranduil was up.

“You were not dismissed, Kiera.” Thranduil called out to her, causing her to stop and glare back at him as their eyes met.

“Do you need me to kneel before you and beg?” she clapped back, wishing to leave before she revealed any anxious emotion or do something irrational.

Thranduil shook his head, taking his time to go to his throne and sit, establishing his power over her for good measure. “I need you to learn control.” He demanded and as if she was called by those words exactly, a red headed elf entered the throne room and interrupted the two’s correspondence.

“Tauriel.” Thranduil greeted and the elf revealed as mentioned bowed, barely glancing at Kiera. “Take Kiera to the training grounds, teach her a calm composure. You will report to me of her process.” He commanded and finally Tauriel nodded with a formal reply, turning to the woman curiously but Thranduil wasn’t finished. “If any trouble ensures, come to me.”

Kiera seared in annoyance at the King’s order, realizing that he was undermining her and making her look like a child. Yet Tauriel made no comment and simply bowed. “Yes, my lord.” She said soundly and gestured for Kiera to follow. The woman only just managed not to narrow her eyes at Thranduil, but instead counted herself lucky that he had chosen not to imprison her as she followed Tauriel out of the throne room in cold silence.

\---

As usual, the training grounds were flooded with guards practicing their skills and a few superior generals or others of rank observing their work. Kiera noticed one female guard with brown hair and dark eyes correct how a soldier had flicked his dagger and displayed of how to do it properly. She seemed to be one of the superiors, intriguing Kiera of how she handled the situation differently than the other generals by showing what to do rather than only explaining.

But Tauriel wasn’t intent on staying with the crowd and instead approached a more closed off area among the trees, so Kiera only just managed to escape the guard’s gaze as she was caught looking at them work, before she turned and followed Tauriel.

“Are we leaving the realm for this?” Kiera huffed as they passed through the trees and she was met with silence from Tauriel rather than an annoyed response. However, at that second the captain decided they were far enough and stopped in the clearing to look back at Kiera who arched a brow. “And now?”

“Now you show me what you can do.” Tauriel revealed and threw her a dagger to fight with. Kiera caught it but realized she had never fought with a blade as such before and the situation she was in would prove quite something. She knew how to fight, maybe not with medieval weapons but she had the gist of it. Now it seemed she had to get better.

“Just positions and maneuvers?” she asked and flipped the blade in her hand, showing a few spins and steps but Tauriel quickly stopped her. “You fumble too much. Don’t grip the hilt too hard but don’t drop it either. Keep it loose and balanced in your hand.” She instructed and Kiera suppressed the embarrassed blush creeping onto her cheeks as she corrected her, and she did as told. It seemed to satisfy the captain and Kiera took a breath of relief.

“You’re here to learn control.” She announced and Kiera grumbled quietly.

“I know control.” The woman countered and the captain raised a brow as she brushed the red mane over her shoulder.

“Not from what the king knows.” Tauriel disagreed and Kiera scoffed, gripping the dagger. “If you prove him wrong, I might think otherwise.” She said and Kiera laughed, already eager to charge.

“Then come at me.” She challenged and it was almost like the captain had waited for it, already unsheathing her dagger to fight back.

Kiera lunged forward in less than a second, too impatient to wait for Tauriel and she threw her hand around to hit Tauriel’s face with the blade. The captain blocked it and swirled around, stepping back to give her space. Kiera whirled with her and sucked in a breath, grumbling at how easily the captain had flicked away the dagger with her own.

Kiera turned to the side and tried jabbing her in the lung. Again, Tauriel dodged it with her blade and walked off to the side and faced her again. Kiera wasn’t used to blades. She had spent many years learning to use her hands and had been taught the bow since she was a small girl, but swords and daggers weren’t part of her skills. Unbeknownst to herself, she was too fast to attack and didn’t think of how her body would move if she took a certain step or threw her dagger at a certain spot on Tauriel.

“You strike too soon.” The captain announced, causing the woman to growl in annoyance. “Focus on what your move would do and the consequences from it, don’t do something simply for the hope of damaging.” Tauriel said and waited for Kiera to try again.

“Maybe you could show me what to do instead of making me find out myself.” Kiera huffed in return, thinking of the guard she had seen earlier that did just that with her subjects.

Tauriel wrinkled her nose, clearly knowing what she talked about. “I don’t use methods like that.” She said with a certain annoyance in her voice and Kiera wondered if the two had something against each other.

Kiera wringed her free hand and gripped the dagger tighter in the other, but she thought of what Tauriel had said and loosened it. “Like this?” she asked, walking closer before twisting to kick at her dagger which was hardly visible in the darkened corner of her left eye. So, it wasn’t surprising that Tauriel pulled back her hand before her foot crashed into it and grabbed Kiera as she lunged for her abdomen, locking her in her arms and yanking Kiera’s blade out of her hand.

“Too quick, Kiera.” She said and pushed her away, sheathing both of her daggers in the scabbards as she decided the sparring was over. “As King Thranduil said, you lack control.”

“Not just yet.” Kiera countered, ignoring the statement. She shook her hands, cracking her neck as she pointed at the daggers around the captain’s waist before curling her hands into fists. “Now we do it on my terms. Without weapons.” She said.

Tauriel seemed rather arrogant as she smirked, throwing her daggers to the ground and readying herself. “You think you’re going to win this when you did not with a blade?” she asked confidently, and Kiera smirked as well.

“Oh, I _know_ I will win this.”

Tauriel was the one to attack now, her fist flying toward Kiera’s face and the woman dodged it easily, twisting to the side and keeping her hands before her, ready to hit. This was her home ground; she had been in many fights after leaving for the United States and had learnt to defend herself. Using her hands was like walking, unlike flipping those daggers. Clearly, she had to work on that – but now, she needed to prove herself for Tauriel and keep her pride.

She jumped forward, slamming her fist into Tauriel’s side and stepping back again as she planted a kick with the knee in her thigh then she moved away again. Tauriel winced, throwing her hands out after Kiera but missed when she ducked.

It surprised Kiera that Tauriel wasn’t as good just with hands as she was with a blade. It seemed she was used to let a dagger do the work rather than her fists. Surely, the captain must have been taught that first before continuing to the weapons, however, it must have been a long time ago because she was less talented in this than with the blades.

Kiera smirked, noting the huff that escaped Tauriel when she slammed her elbow into her stomach and leaned back, dodging the captain’s fist that approached her face. She grunted when she felt Tauriel’s foot kick into her shin that she hadn’t seen. She knelt on the ground before Tauriel, making herself small, and plunged her tightly closed hand straight up to collide with her chin as she got back up, entering the space Tauriel had found safe just a moment earlier.

The captain cried out, falling back to tumble into the dirt, and grabbed her chin in a wince. As she got back on her feet and glared at the smirking Kiera, she whispered Sindarin curses under her breath.

“Seems to me that my prophecy came true.” Kiera snickered, picking up the scabbards and throwing it to Tauriel so she could wrap her blades onto her waist once more.

“You fight well when these aren’t included.” Tauriel grumbled the compliment, Kiera nodding in thanks. The captain looked down at her leg, thinking of her kick and remembering how the woman allegedly injured Legolas. “At least I didn’t injure you as you did the prince. Do you happen to know how he is doing?”

Kiera’s smirk dropped and she looked at her coldly. “I wonder how you would know of that; the times we were together he hasn’t mentioned you once.” She said, being rather snarky.

Tauriel clapped back. “Neither has he mentioned you.”

Kiera laughed and shrugged, walking closer to get past the captain. “I couldn’t care less if he hasn’t mentioned me, it is none of my business. After what he did, he is nothing but the prince to me.”

Tauriel arched a brow. “What did he do?”

Kiera scowled. “Nothing that concerns you, but he stepped over a line that I had already drawn for him.”

“If it isn’t my business to know what yours is, then stay out of mine.” Tauriel shot back and Kiera cocked her head to the side with a teasing smile.

“Well, that’s no fun.” She said. “Thanks for the fight, maybe next time you can actually hit me properly.”

Before she saw Tauriel’s glare, she walked out of the trees and back to the training grounds, smiling at Castien who joined her side as she went for her chambers. Her newfound ‘friendship’ certainly would be interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Feel free to comment, y'all know I live off of it and thank you for kudos!  
> Toodles ~


	9. A Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiera tests herself, is overwhelmed for more reasons than one and seeks out Legolas to get answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I'm back with a chapter, and this one is a little rollercoaster ride. I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Navaer: Goodbye  
> Elleth: Female elf

The flame flickered. From the gentle evening breeze entering the chambers through the balcony, it gave little warmth to the room as Thranduil sat at his desk, watching the fire move like a dance atop the wax. The study lay empty and silent aside from the King’s breath that teased the flame every time he exhaled.

He still pondered over his meeting with Kiera that morning. She was a brave soul to stand up against him in such away, and he shouldn’t let her get away with it. But something was hiding behind those aqua blue eyes and he wanted to find out what. She intrigued him. He loathed that she had injured Legolas, that she hadn’t told him about this alter ego who could fire an arrow faster than an elf could move. It gave him all the more reason to doubt her trust, and debate removing her from his realm before she did more damage.

But he couldn’t give her all the blame, and neither did he feel it was the right choice to send her away. _He_ had asked Legolas to provoke her and therefore he was the reason to his son’s danger. There was more to it than just a simple woman who thought she could do or say what she wanted. He sensed that she could be careless and mock him out of anger, but she used her mind. She was smart and thought before she spoke.

Thranduil let out a grunt, getting up from his seat in a graceful swing that caused the candle to go out as he strolled past his desk, tired of constantly having Kiera on his mind. She puzzled him. But he would solve her, he would. Eventually, the pieces would fit. He was sure of it and he had patience to wait for it.

Meanwhile, not very far from the Royal Wing, Kiera was watching as her own candle flame was ignited and burning right before her eyes. She felt the rapid thud of her heart beating in her chest at the proximity of the fire, but she ignored it.

She often did this: tested her fears. It helped overcome them and allowed her to better cast them aside when she needed to keep focused or, in other words, keep her cool.

Hesitantly, she took in a deep breath and held up her hand just beside the flame, feeling the heat embracing her fingertips. She bit her lip, waiting. It was just fire. Just one flame on a candle, bringing nothing but light. It wouldn’t hurt her if she was fast, as long as she didn’t keep her hand in the tinted blaze.

Kiera calmly but quickly let her hand brush across the flame, not even feeling it touch her. She had done this countless of times, yet the first time was still the hardest.

She sighed, repeating the motion back and forth, until she in the end let her fingers sway with the flame, drawing them around and through as it licked along the fingertips like a dance. Despite it being one of her fears, when she overcame the first part, it would always help later on and it was rather calming to watch. She felt no pain, only the soft heat. It was but her smothered hand from the ashy fire that was left behind as an echo of what she had done.

What did she want to challenge this night? It was calm. She hadn’t heard from the King since the morning and no servant had summoned her to be anywhere after she had gone to her room. Perhaps he was already asleep or sat in his study with his own arrogant self. Or maybe he still sat slung on his throne to order more of his subjects. Kiera doubted it. As she knew him, he would most likely have retired for the night.

She wondered how grand rooms he must have had, considering just her own and how beautiful the rest of the realm was – she had only seen the study, and that was already large in itself. She knew, as there were depths in the king’s cavernous halls, there were also heights. During earlier explorations, she had discovered caves not far from the cellars with ponds and minor waterfalls emerging from the rocks. Meanwhile, she had also discovered cliffs in the tops of the mountains, corridors expanding to wide openings, serving anyone passing by a look over Mirkwood and whatever could be seen in the horizon.

Kiera recalled finding one in particular with a beam built into the cliff, a lift hanging below to carry large materials from lower to the upper levels easier. She had always been tempted to use it for simple fun or crawl out on it, but something held her back.

As she had wondered, Kiera’s eyes had fallen close and the candle had gone out with a light blow of her breath. Now they shot open, an idea coming to mind. She jumped up, running straight for the door and she pulled it open to see Castien stand guard outside.

“Come on, Castien, I’m going on an adventure.” Kiera declared, Castien jumping awake in the dark corridor as the chamber door was loudly closed by the woman before she dragged him down the hallway, only illuminated by a few torches.

“M-my lady, it’s late, why are you going somewhere now?” He asked and Kiera smirked at him, turning a corner as she went for the many stairs that led up to the levels above them. “It is close to midnight, Kiera.” He whispered, wishing to keep quiet now that many servants who needed to be up early had gone to bed, not to mention the citizens within the palace themselves.

“It’s a night of testing oneself, and I’m about ready to drop a challenge at my feet, so here we are.” Kiera quickly explained in a ramble, hardly even glancing at her friend as he stumbled along. She rushed up the stairs, never stopping or slowing down while Castien, usually the athletic elf, heaved for breath when they reached the cliff she intended to find.

“Why.. did you bring… _me_.. to this Valar forsaken cliff?!” Castien grumbled in annoyance as he gasped for breath, Kiera smiling down at him while he bent over to support his weight with hands on his knees.

“Oh, I could have left you behind and you’d follow me anyways.” Kiera shrugged, walking closer to the edge of the cliff. “Stay there and catch your breath while I do my job.”

Castien frowned, looking on as she moved closer to the edge and he grabbed her arm. “Kiera, you can’t..” He whispered, thinking of all the wrong reasons to her doing.

“No!” Kiera said shocked, basking away his hand. “I’m not gonna kill myself, damn it. I’m just trying to do as usual… challenge my fears.” She whispered the last part as her foot planted on the beam, her arms going out to balance herself. It was a long way down, she saw. In the dark, she could spot a lake deep below her, formed by the water drizzling out of the cave waterfalls and on to the rivers.

Castien held his breath. “Are you mad?” He asked in shock, walking closer in an attempt to pull her back to safety. “You can fall down!”

“Exactly!” Kiera laughed, snapping her fingers as she danced out on the beam, closer to the edge now and she felt her heartbeat starting to quicken but she kept her eyes on Castien. “Don’t go near me. Lest I lose balance.” She warned and winked, keeping her balance somewhat stable.

Her second test of the night. She had long been scared of falling, not of heights themselves. She could stand at that very cliff and look down at the trees below, feeling no fear of the simple distance. It was the fact that she might falter or lean too much to the side and descend far down to plunge in the water or crash against the hard ground, that caused her heart to thump anxiously in her chest. She tried to ignore it, tried to push away the fear picking at her mind of all the possible ways she could manage to trip and still she sensed that possibility of death.

Her mouth had run dry and she swallowed nonexistent saliva to wet her throat. Her lips were bitten by her teeth and she took a slow, steady breath to calm herself. Castien was forgotten in the deafening silence, only broken by the heartbeat pounding in her ears. _Keep breathing, it’s nothing_ , she thought to herself, her gaze trained on the beam’s tip. She tended to have a good balance, but still it wasn’t her expertise. Falling was as achievable as returning to the solid ground.

She stayed there for minutes, determined to calm down. The beat of her heart never soothed, but instead accelerated every moment she felt a high wind push at her side and made her squeal quietly in an attempt to straighten herself again. Only when she felt the flutter set aside to a still rapid, but however slower pace, did she drop her arms at her sides and smile to herself.

“See? Easy peasy!” Kiera said loudly, twisting around in a swirl of her foot to walk back across the beam. Her foot slipped.

Kiera screamed, already sensing her heartbeat shoot through the roof and the muscle ended somewhere in her throat. Her arms flailed around, grabbing after the wind as she felt dizzy at the sudden height and her body started falling to the right. Her sight had almost blackened and there was seemingly nothing around her, only a feeling of falling, utter falling.

“Castien!” Kiera yelled in despair, desperate for help and finally she felt a strong hand grab her wrist and pull her back to safety. She collided with a solid chest, a subtle scent of wood and water slipping in to fill her nostrils. Kiera planted her hands against something that could be a chest as much as a wall, and she blinked to find Castien in an attempt to thank him.

Only it was King Thranduil’s gaze she met when she looked up, his blue eyes searching hers as his warm, gentle hand still held her wrist in a firm grasp. Kiera gaped, her heart beating so much faster than his own, feeling it beneath her hand through his garments but she felt it wasn’t completely due to the fear she had just experienced.

“Yo-Your Majesty.” Kiera choked in greeting, standing much closer to him than she had ever imagined as their forms were pressed against each other, and she tried shaking off her senses. Her chest rose and fell rapidly in need for breath, and Thranduil, surprisingly, offered her a soft smile in comfort.

“Perhaps, you should be more careful next time and listen to the guard I ordered to stay with you.” Thranduil said in a deep voice, his eyes boring into hers with a hint of annoyance.

“Yes.” Kiera whispered, holding her breath as he let her go and stepped back. “I probably should.”

“Goodnight, Kiera.” He said, satisfied with her reply as he turned and walked towards the corridor to leave.

“Your Highness.” She called after him, Thranduil stopping in his tracks and he looked over his shoulder, waiting. “Thank you, and… goodnight.” Kiera said, biting her lip as she watched him nod and walk away. Still her heart thumped loud in her chest and she didn’t comprehend why. It annoyed her and she wondered if it was simply out of overwhelmed nerves.

She sighed, groaning tiredly as she rubbed the back of her neck and followed suit with the king, finding Castien waiting at the stairs. She gave him a glare. “You didn’t mention that the fucking king decided to come by!” Kiera hissed, punching him lightly on the shoulder and it gave Castien reason to look offended.

“I didn’t see him before you fell! Don’t give me the blame!” He grumbled, the both of them descending the steps to get back, quietly retiring for the night.

\---

It wasn’t really because she wanted to. She was still furious at him. But Kiera felt a need to check up on Legolas, so that was the reason why she found herself walking down the corridor towards his chambers the next morning. According to whispers in the corridors, the prince had been released from the healing quarters and had now returned to his own rooms.

Kiera had never been to his chambers and never thought she was going to either. It was surely as big as his father’s with a touch of his own personality, but she didn’t give it much thought.

Suddenly, Kiera narrowed her eyes curiously, noting someone exiting his chambers at the end of the hallway, clothed in a light blue dress with long dark hair cascading down her back. A female. As the elleth turned, Kiera immediately caught sight of the green eyes, complimenting her face.

She seemed in a small rush, walking down the corridor towards Kiera in an elegant but swift manner, clearly of higher rank than a maid. Kiera stopped in her tracks, and it seemed that the female finally saw her as well.

“I’m sorry, I don’t believe we’ve met.” Kiera said, nearly offering her hand in greeting before she remembered that elves never shook hands. “Have you been here before?” She asked, frowning curiously at the elf. There was something different about her, an aura that she hadn’t seen in other Woodland Elves.

The elf smiled. “Mae g’ovannen. I am Alannah.” She greeted and Kiera wondered if she was supposed to bow. Alannah had, after all, come from Legolas’ rooms and she didn’t give the slightest hint of being of a lower class – rather higher. “I have been here, but neither do I think we have crossed paths yet.” The elleth continued, eyeing Kiera skeptically.

Kiera smiled back. “I’m Kiera. Been here for a few months, but I can’t say I belong. That would be obvious to anyone.” She shrugged, not noticing the curious frown that played on Alannah’s face. “Anyways, I was just on my way to visit the Prince after he healed.” Kiera said, changing subject.

Alannah raised an eyebrow. “Yes, he told me someone shot him through the leg with an arrow out of sheer annoyance.” She explained and Kiera suppressed a growl that threatened.

 _I’ll give the damn Prince annoyance, who was it that decided to earn a foot up his ass?_ Kiera thought quietly, knowing that he had received the arrow for something more than simple frustration.

“Oh, yes, I’m sure it was a mess. But it was nice meeting you, Lady Alannah. I hope we meet again.” Kiera ended the conversation quickly, wanting to move on soon but she had a good feeling nonetheless about the elleth. If time and place allowed it, perhaps she had found another friend.

“To you as well. If there ever is a chance, I enjoy spending time in the gardens. Navaer, Kiera.” Alannah said, offering her another smile and the woman greatly appreciated the little hint to a blooming acquaintance, but Kiera could see in the green eyes how Alannah’s mind seemed to churn in wonder before the two parted. Clearly, Kiera hadn’t convinced the elleth of complete innocence.

When Alannah had left the corridor, Kiera was alone to cope as she laid her hand on the door handle. She didn’t exactly have a plan of how to greet Legolas, nor if he would even let her be there for more than a second – but she needed answers, and as far as she knew, he had them.

She knocked on the door twice before entering, not waiting for him to call out.

“Prince.” Kiera greeted, closing the door behind her as she gave him a cold look.

Legolas was dressed casually in trousers and a loose shirt, his blond hair in waves rather than the usual braids as he stood at an armoire, looking over his clothes. He gave her a glare, stepping away and towards the bed. His leg seemed to have healed from the look of his posture, but it was still wrapped in a bandage.

“What do you want, Kiera?” Legolas asked in a huff, crossing his arms as he held her gaze and Kiera could almost see the venom dripping from his words.

“I wanted to see how you were doing.”

Legolas chuckled and shook his head, turning his eyes away as he thought. “I would be doing even better if you hadn’t planted an arrow in my leg!” He spat, glaring back at her.

Kiera arched an eyebrow, leaning against the door behind her. “Yeah, but you didn’t tell your friend that. Did you still want to keep my image somewhat pure?”

“You met Alannah? There is no reason for me to tell her it was you unless you plan to give her the same treatment.” He jumped up, walking up to her and standing mere inches apart. Kiera could see in his eyes that he cared for the recently acquainted elf she had met. Perhaps a relationship blossomed between them?

Kiera pushed him away, grumbling at him. “I only shot you because you gave me every right to, and I apologized! You dared to push me all the way to the edge and you stepped over the line. Alannah seems to have more of a brain than you, and I only know her name!”

Legolas snarled, clearly starting to get angry and frustrated with the woman. “Do you think I wanted to?! I was given an order, and I knew I was pushing it, but that gives you no reason to shoot me!” He shot back.

Kiera froze.

“Who gave you an order to push me to the absolute limit?” She whispered, looking into his eyes in shock as she stepped towards him. Legolas was a prince. The only one that could command him was…

“My father.” Legolas replied coldly. “He told me that you had to let go of your shadow, that I couldn’t allow you to practice before he saw what you were truly capable of.” He explained, his nostrils flaring out of rage. “I clearly saw.”

Kiera felt her heart drop. Thranduil was reason to her loss of control, that she had hurt Legolas in the end. If he had never given the order, it had never happened.

“I’m sorry.” She whispered, feeling betrayed that it was the king deserving her anger and instead she had barked at Legolas.

She stumbled back towards the door, laying her hand back on the handle. “I… I’m sorry, Legolas. I did not know.”

And then she was gone, running off to find what she truly wondered about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment and thank you for the kudos:) I'll be back with the next chapter soon, I live off of your feedback.  
> I also want to give @delusionalgypsy on Wattpad a massive shoutout, and thank you for letting me borrow your character Alannah! She is an amazing writer and friend, so thank you a thousand times for helping me with my fic as well. Go check out her own story The Quest where you can learn more about her amazing OC!


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